


you are a stranger (again)

by timerise



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Bokuaka - Freeform, Canon Compliant, College AU, Fluff, Hospitals, Hurt, Hurt & Comfort, Injury, M/M, Major Character Injury, Mutual Pining, No Beta, Pretty Setter Squad, Tooth Rotting Fluff, We Die Like Men, also a healthy dose of guilt bc thats how i do baby, bokuaka angst, bokuaka college au, bokuto is hot but akaashi is sexy, hbghhh i dunno, idk man, is it kōtarō or koutarou, it wont make sense at first, mostly - Freeform, no beta we die like men, platonic akoisuga, wow look im actually writing character growth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:55:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26832523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timerise/pseuds/timerise
Summary: memory is a funny thing. we remember little tidbits that we’ll never need, we forget the most important things. or people.akaashi hasn’t seen bokuto in a year. he went off to college, moved onto bigger, more important things. and people.but now he’s here and akaashi can’t remember life without him.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, oikawa & sugawara
Comments: 106
Kudos: 167





	1. introductions

**Author's Note:**

> please note time and date of the text logs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is the like, bare minimum of backstory before i get into the actual story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when you read, please note time and date.

**Text Log with: Akaashi Keiji**

_ >> Akaashi (August 29, 7:13pm):  _ Bokuto-san, how are you?

(8.29, 7:13pm): Akaashi!! Hi!!! Good, I got all of my things unloaded!! The dorms are so cool!!!!!

_ >> Akaashi (August 29, 7:14pm):  _ That is good to hear.

(8.29, 7:14pm): What about you!!

_ >> Akaashi (August 29, 7:15pm _ ): I led my first practice as captain. It was strange without you there.

(8.29, 7:15pm): Awwww you do miss me!!

_ >> Akaashi (August 29, 7:16pm _ ): Yes. I am excited to watch you play with your college team.

(8.29, 7:17pm): Akaashi!!!!! Promise not to get jealous of my NEW setter?

_ >> Akaashi (August 29, 7:17pm _ ): I promise, Bokuto-san.

-

_ >> Akaashi (September 2, 4:53pm _ ): will you be visiting this weekend?

(9.2, 4:53pm): No )))): I have to cram for an English exam

_ >> Akaashi (September 2, 4:54pm _ ): Impressive, studying of your own volition.

(9.2, 4:54pm): Akaashi!!! Mean!! What does volition mean?

_ >> Akaashi (September 2, 4:54pm _ ): It’s similar to “of your own accord”

(9.2, 4:58pm): Mean!!!

_ >> Akaashi (September 2, 4:58pm _ ): Accurate.

(9.2, 5:00pm): Be nice to me.

_ >> Akaashi (September 2, 5:00pm _ ): I’ll work on that.

-

_ >> Akaashi (September 30, 2:38pm _ ): Have you heard of that new hero movie?

(9.30, 11:17pm): Yeah!! I just saw it with my team. It was really good. Why do you ask?

_ >> Akaashi (September 30, 11:22pm _ ): I remembered you saying something about that series.

-

_ >> Akaashi (October 11, 10:33 am): _ How has college been?

_ >> Akaashi (October 11, 12:42pm): _ Coach sends his regards.

(10.11, 3:51pm): I didn’t see this!! Tell him I said hi!!

_ >> Akaashi (October 11, 4:01pm):  _ I will.

-

_ >> Akaashi (October 25, 2:17pm): _ Komi is wondering if you actually snorted Fun Dip powder at the fair last year.

(10.25, 3:30pm): Komi should mind his own business. Also please don’t ask Kuroo.

(10.25, 3:35pm): AKAASHI.

(10.25, 3:35pm): YOU’RE GOING TO RUIN MY REPUTATION.

_ >> Akaashi (October 25, 3:36pm): _ What reputation?

(10.25, 3:37pm): AKAASHI, MEAN.

_ >> Akaashi (October 25, 3:37pm): _ That was a funny video, Bokuto-san.

-

_ >> Akaashi (November 9, 12:04pm):  _ Did you still want my Calculus notes?

(11.9, 10:11pm): That’s alright, I found some online.

_ >> Akaashi (November 9, 11:52pm):  _ I apologize for not managing to send them sooner.

-

_ >> Akaashi (December 14, 3:21pm):  _ Are you coming home for the holidays?

-

_ >> Akaashi (December 25, 1:02am):  _ Merry Christmas, Bokuto-san.

-

_ >> Akaashi (March 12, 5:42pm):  _ I saw you on television. I’m proud of you.


	2. recognition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He braked so quickly he almost vaulted over the front of his bike.
> 
> Ignoring the protests of those around him, he walked his bike down the wrong side of the path to get back to a poster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this isnt great but i promise theyll get longer and better

It was about six weeks after the start of Bokuto’s second year of university when it happened. He had just finished up with one of his classes, laughing about something with Kuroo.

He slung an arm around Kuroo’s shoulder. “I’m gonna level with you- I think the women here are finer than they’ve been in any other year.”

Kuroo snorted. “I would be pretty creeped out if you said that anyone younger was better.”

Bokuto scoffed and shoved Kuroo away. “Good thing I didn’t say that, then!”

“Where is this coming from? You got a hot date?”

Bokuto grinned.

“Dude, no way. Do I know her?”

“Probably not. I met her at Yuji’s party last week and we hit it off.” Bokuto chuckled at the memory. She was a nice girl- pretty, American, looking a little like someone Bokuto would see in the movies. They were going to go to the arcade together.

“Good for you. Let me know how it goes. Use prote-“

Bokuto hit his shoulder. “Hey!”

He only snickered and shoved Bokuto’s hand off. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”

“What about you? Are you still with Kenma?”

Kuroo sighed. “Bokuto, I’m not going to break up with him just because there are attractive girls at our school. I’m not going to break up with him, period.”

Bokuto groaned. “I just can’t believe you’ve been dating him since high school! That seems crazy!!”

“You just can’t imagine the commitment.”

“Kuroo, mean!!” Bokuto whined as they arrived at his bike.

“Yeah, whatever. You still coming over tonight?” Kuroo asked, helping him unchain the bicycle.

Bokuto nodded. “Only if you promise not to get too lovey dovey with Kenma while I’m there.”

“I won’t make a promise I can’t keep.”

“Gross. I’m coming anyways.”

“I know.”

Bokuto put the bike lock in his backpack and swung his leg over. “See you later.”

“Later, man.”

Bokuto pedaled off, heading for his Human Anatomy class. He was studying Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation at the moment, despite being totally enthralled with playing volleyball for his school. He still had to do school stuff to play for the school, he supposed.

Since high school, he had changed quite a bit. First off, he had finally learned how to manage his mood swings. He had started running when he got sad, pushing endorphins into his brain until his calves were numb and his brain fuzzed nicely.

He had always been athletic, but the rigor of college training had turned his passion and enthusiasm into tangible, physical difference. He had been thrilled when the girls  _ finally  _ began to pay attention to him. They noticed him, they were fans. He reveled in the attention.

Bokuto stuck his arm out, turning left into the Median Hall. The bike hall took him to the science building, he had about fifteen minutes before his next class. He liked the hall, getting to see posters and murals of the things that all the other students in the school were getting up to.

Passing quickly, his eyes flashed over the images, absorbing what he could. There was a vegetarian’s club, dnd club, soccer tournament, flag football, chess club-

He braked so quickly he almost vaulted over the front of his bike.

Ignoring the protests of those around him, he walked his bike down the wrong side of the path to get back to a poster.

It was an advertisement for a solo piano concerto, promising Mozart and Bach and a couple acoustic renditions of requests. The poster had a list of all of the songs the pianist would be playing, as well as a dramatic in-action picture of the pianist.

He idly registered someone yelling at him as he tore the paper off the wall.  _ … Akaashi? _

God, he looked so different. He had the same narrow, hooded, intelligent eyes, dark curls and long, calloused fingers. But now his jaw was sharper, cheekbones more pronounced- were those little black studs in his ears???? And an undercut, holy-

Akaashi was at his college. It had been more than a month, how had he not seen him? Why didn’t he say?

Bokuto rolled up the poster and shoved it into his backpack, head swimming with questions. Akaashi was at his school, in his life, and he didn’t even know it. He didn’t know Akaashi played piano. He didn’t know Akaashi cut his hair, pierced his ears.

When had they drifted apart?

He got back on his bike, setting off quickly for his class. He arrived with five minutes to spare, and took the time to search through his message archives.

His heart sank into his stomach, understanding seizing him by the throat. Well, understanding, but mostly guilt.

He took the poster back out, looking at the guy that had once been his best friend in the entire world. He still recognized the spark in his eyes, a quiet flame. Intense, burning, something Bokuto only sometimes managed to tap into.

Did he still play volleyball? Did he still sneak out on the occasional early morning to get fresh onigiri? Did he still take his tea with a little bit of honey?

When had he let Akaashi go? 


	3. planning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto’s stomach dropped. He knew Kuroo was probably right, but… ouch.
> 
> “Still, I suppose this is a good lesson for you. Maybe some day you can sit down with him and say “Sorry for dropping you once you were no longer relevant in my life”, but you probably shouldn’t do it right away.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOT ME UPDATING THREE TIMES IN ONE DAY 💀💀 dont look at my grades tho shshhshsha its not funny stop laughing. anyways. this isnt my fav chapter but whatevr

Bokuto was lying over Kuroo’s bed, arm thrown over his face in melodrama. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Akaashi, the poster, the concierto, the stubborn, consuming guilt.

He had been a really, really bad friend.

Kuroo sighed, rubbing at his eyes with the heels of his hands. “I just don’t get it dude, why did you ghost him?”

Bokuto snatched the pillow to press over his own face. “I don’t know!” He groaned into the fabric.

“I can’t hear you. Just- start from the beginning.”

Bokuto dropped the pillow, dejected. “It’s pretty simple, as far as surface-level explanations go. We used to talk all the time, mostly calling and hanging out when I’d come home for weekends. But like, college and volleyball got busy, and I stopped being able to answer the phone, and I’d forget to reply to texts.”

“You don’t forget to reply to a text for months, Kou.”

“Ah- I know. I didn’t know what to do, Kuroo. He just kept texting, I couldn’t keep up.”

“YOU couldn’t keep up? Bokuto couldn’t keep up?” Kuroo asked incredulously.

Bokuto groaned again, rolling onto his stomach. “I don’t know. It felt like our lives didn’t really relate anymore.”

“Relationships take work, Bokuto. Kenma and I didn’t just magically stay toge-“

“I didn’t date him!”

“That doesn’t mean he wasn’t important. You have to make an effort with people. I don’t- okay. This isn’t what you want to hear, but after reading the texts, I don’t know that he’s going to want you back in his life.”

Bokuto’s stomach dropped. He knew Kuroo was probably right, but… ouch.

“Still, I suppose this is a good lesson for you. Maybe someday you can sit down with him and say “Sorry for dropping you once you were no longer relevant in my life”, but you probably shouldn’t do it right away.”

Bokuto felt like he was losing the ability to breathe. Kuroo saw his pained expression and put a hand on his back.

“Okay, that was harsh. I’m sorry. I’m not going to sugarcoat it though.”

“I don’t need you to tell me it was messed up,” Bokuto snapped. “I realize that. I just… I’ve been thinking about him all day. I used to hang out with him every day, he meant so much to me. I didn’t mean to let him go.”

Kuroo rubbed at his back idly. “I know, dude. Do you miss him?”

Bokuto shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not like I was happier then, college is awesome.”

“You can’t measure someone’s worth to you based on how you felt in that period of your life.”

Bokuto gaped at Kuroo, who even seemed a bit surprised with himself. “Dude, that was so deep.”

Kuroo shook his head in wonder. “I know- write that down, dang.”

Bokuto tapped whatever he could remember of Kuroo’s wisdom into the notes section of his phone before looking back at him. “I miss… I miss moments with him, I think. We were together all the time, and I don’t  _ miss  _ everything, but he’s very different from anyone else I know. Maybe I miss that.”

Kenma snorted, reminding Bokuto of his presence.

“What?” He demanded.

“Nothing,” Kenma shook his head, eyes not lifting from his Switch. “Keiji just said something similar, is all.”

Bokuto gaped. “You call him Keiji?? No wait, you still talk to him?”

“Yeah,” Kenma shrugged. “He helps me study and we game sometimes.”

“Have you heard him play piano before?” Bokuto asked after a beat.

Kenma looked up, giving him a long, indecipherable look. “Yes.”

Bokuto stared at the stolen poster for what was likely the hundredth time that day. “His concert-concierto, whatever, is this Friday. I’m gonna hear him play.”

Kuroo and Kenma shared a look. “You’re not gonna talk to him, are you?” Kuroo asked hesitantly.

Bokuto crossed his arms defensively. “No, probably not. I just want to see how he’s changed for myself. And hear his music.”

Kenma looked at a corner of the room, away from his game and either of the boys. “Koutarou, I’m not going to say this more than once, because I really shouldn’t be saying it at all. If you actually want to get to know him again, you have to go slow. You two aren’t just going to click like you did. I don’t think you ghosting him is unforgivable, but it’s going to take time for you to regain trust.” His eyes fell back to his game. “Or whatever.”

Well, that settled it then. Even if he and Akaashi didn’t become best friends again- or, God forbid, even regular friends- Bokuto still needed to get to a place with him where he could apologize.

That meant starting with the concert.

-

It wasn’t a large event, but it wasn’t small either. Bokuto was glad he had read the poster as many times as he had and gone with a semi-formal/casual outfit, because a suit would have been ridiculously out of place in the little theatre. It was roughly the size of a movie theatre, and when the lights began to dim, not all the seats were full.

Bokuto was still impressed. All of these random people were here to hear Akaashi play.  _ His  _ Akaashi.

Well, not his Akaashi. Not anymore. The realization stung a bit, which was unfair. It didn’t have a right to sting, Bokuto was the one who had stopped responding.

Bokuto shuffled to his seat, a respectable middle row off to the side. This was so, so incredibly far from his normal scene, he hoped he wouldn’t doze off. He would never forgive himself if Akaashi managed to look out and see him sleeping.

The thought made Bokuto’s breath catch. Would Akaashi be able to see him? Would he know Bokuto was there? He didn’t know what he wanted the answer to be.

Instead of worrying about that, he thumbed through the printer-paper-programme, eyes unfocused on song titles he didn’t recognize. What the heck was a Prelude in D Minor?

He looked up to the black piano on the stage, eyes catching a rustling of the curtain. The voices around him began to quiet as the lights dimmed even further, and a tall figure entered the stage.

Bokuto felt like he had gotten the wind knocked out of him.

Akaashi Keiji stood, all slender and elegant, on the stage. Long limbs and thin fingers, raven hair and a little gaunt and intense. He had a black turtleneck and grey slacks, silver necklace draped to graze his sternum. He had two small silver hoops in his ear, almost unnoticeable. Bokuto noticed. The picture Bokuto saw of him must have been a bit less recent, because Akaashi’s hair was mostly normal, if not a little longer.

For a moment, right before the spotlight hit him, piercing blue eyes found his. The moment hung in the air, Bokuto choking on unsaid words and apologies and revelation and more. Akaashi’s eyes widened-

The spotlight turned on, and the moment was broken. Akaashi strode over to the piano and pulled the microphone stand with him, introducing his first song in a baritone that Bokuto hadn’t realized he’d been missing for months.

He didn’t fall asleep when the music started. He felt like he didn’t blink, didn’t breathe. How could he? Here was his setter, that wasn’t his setter anymore- just someone he used to know. His used-to-know, fingers flying over the keys and music holding him in a deathgrip.

He was phantasmal, resplendent. He was new and exciting, a home that Bokuto didn’t know he’d lost, and they hadn’t even spoken a word to each other.

This wouldn’t end here. He wouldn’t stop until he had made things right. 


	4. the other side of the coin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The voices of his roommates reached him as he neared his door, drifting through the cool autumn air.
> 
> “… Which is why I said, I think PSS is a great option!”
> 
> “One, it would look like p!ss. Two, none of us play volleyball competitively anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enter: pretty setter squad.  
> this chapter is mostly just setting up akaashi’s side of the story lol out loud. enjoy

Akaashi climbed the stairs to his dorm suite, music binder clutched tight to his chest. The performance went smoothly, no noticeable hiccups and the audience seemed engaged. It was a generally good performance, but Akaashi couldn’t shake the thought.

_ There was no way that just happened. _

The voices of his roommates reached him as he neared his door, drifting through the cool autumn air.

“… Which is why I said, I think PSS is a great option!”

“One, it would look like p!ss. Two, none of us play volleyball competitively anymore.”

Akaashi smiled at the light bickering. Oikawa and Suga were at it again, whatever  _ it  _ was this time.

It was Valentine’s Day earlier that year when he had met the two. He had been lonely, aching for something new- a change. He missed Bokuto like he missed the sun, but had long since given up on trying to reach out. Thus, he had found himself wandering the streets of Tokyo that evening, warm milk tea between his hands.

_ He rounded a corner and almost ran into two boys nearly his age, shoving lightly at each other to peer through a boutique window. Akaashi nearly fainted when he realized they were two graduated third years from Karasuno and Aoba Johsai. _

_ He cast his gaze down, mumbling an apology, before a tall body blocked his way from passing. _

_ “Hey,” Oikawa purred. “You’re that pretty little setter from Fukurodani, aren’t you?” _

_ “I’m the captain,” Akaashi bristled. _

_ Suga hit Oikawa’s arm. “Excuse his manners, he was raised in a barn. Akaashi, right?” _

_ Akaashi nodded, meeting his eyes. “You are Sugawara-san, yes? And Oikawa-san?” _

_ Oikawa shared a look with Suga, something Akaashi couldn’t place. “Say, Akaashi-kun, are you doing anything? Suga and I could use another pair of eyes. _

Just like that, their trio was born. The Pretty Setter Squad, as Oikawa liked to refer to them as. And as reluctant as Akaashi was to admit it, the two of them had helped him grow dramatically for the better. His reserved persona and shy exterior morphed into dry wit and a blunt tongue. His passion and ambition was bridled into motivation and drive. And most recently, his anxiety and self-insecurity was taking a turn for logic and acceptance.

He couldn’t thank them enough, even though they wouldn’t hear of him trying to make it up to them. Quite the contrary- Oikawa had persuaded one of the freshman counselors to let Akaashi join their suite dorm instead of the Freshman Hall for his first year.

Living with his two best friends was something Akaashi was still excited about, six weeks into his first year as a college student. Even the ridiculous bickering, like now.

“Okay, well what about a rose or something?” Oikawa pleaded.

“Basic much?”

Akaashi opened the door, physically slumping as the smell of rose tea hit him like a truck. Sugawara was a blessing from God, once again.

“Keiji-kun, you’re home,” Oikawa chirped without looking over.

“Aptly noted,” Akaashi returned. He set his bags down on a chair and slumped into the other, head lolling to the side. “Koushi, how much tea did you make?”

“Enough for you,” came the voice from the kitchen.

Oikawa met his gaze and suddenly shot up from his seat. “Keiji-kun, what’s wrong?”

Ah, yes. Living with two former setters meant that all three of them were exceptionally good at interpersonal observation- more so than almost any other school. Well, that was true for Akaashi at least, majoring in Psychology.

“Nothing,” he attempted. “Just had a little scare during the show.”

_ Bokuto-san, a scare. That was putting it lightly. _

“Koushi,” Oikawa’s voice raised in alarm. “He’s making excuses. Hurry with the tea!”

Ignoring all of Akaashi’s protests, the two older boys led him to the sofa and bade him speak, listening attentively.

He sighed, sipping at his drink. “Do you two remember Bokuto Koutarou?” He began.

“You mean the guy you were in love with that ghosted you af- ow, Tooru!”

Oikawa shut Suga up with a sharp elbow. “You’re oblivious sometimes, Koushi. Continue, ‘Kaashi-kun.”

“Well, I didn’t tell him I came here. Obviously. But he- he was just at my show?” Akaashi looked up from his cup to look his roommates in the eye. “I don’t even know how he found out about it, but I was the only one performing- he was obviously there for me. I just don’t- I don’t get it. I don’t get why.”

Sugawara cracked his knuckles, gaze darkening.

“Stop that,” Akaashi warned. “You’re not going to fist-fight this school’s ace.”

Oikawa linked arms with Suga, forcing him to stop popping his knuckles. “Please keep going.”

“That’s literally it. I haven’t actually spoken to him since last year, then all of a sudden he shows up at my event.”

“It is strange,” Suga mused. “He hasn’t reached out to you at all?”

Akaashi’s cheeks heated up. “No, you two would have been the first ones to hear if he did.”

They sat in silence for a moment.

“I can’t say I blame you,” Oikawa sighed reluctantly. “For liking him- when you did. He’s like… ripped.”

Akaashi threw a pillow at his head. “I haven’t seen him since like, last fall, don’t be weird.”

Oikawa's eyes lit up. “But you saw him on television, didn’t you? He’s exactly my type- broad shoulders, thighs for days, a tight-“

“Same here,” Suga solemnly interrupted. “Hits different when they can bench press you.”

Akaashi buried his face in his hands. “Please stop.”

Oikawa beamed. “That’s one of the reasons I love Iwa-chan so much! Because at the end of the day, when nothing else can cheer me up, I can always count on-“

“-TOORU.” Akaashi shot him a pained look. “Please, I don’t want to hear about your… exploits.”

Oikawa scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “You’re just jealous.”

“Jealousy is not what’s on my mind when both Iwaizumi and Daichi stay the night. I’m just thankful that Konoha lets me stay over.”

Suga flushed while Oikawa grinned. “Well, Akaashi, if you’re ever bored, I’m sure I could convince Iwa to-“

“TOORU!” The other two shrieked.

Oikawa waved them off. “Just an offer! But anyways, we weren’t finished talking about Bokuto.”

“Weren’t we?” Akaashi mumbled.

Suga put a hand over his. “Did he just randomly stop replying? What went wrong?”

Akaashi frowned, an unpleasant memory surfacing. “I suppose… It was around late September to early October when I noticed him getting distant. He always used to be the one to text first, call first, ask to hang out. There was… The time that specifically comes to mind was around finals of my first semester. We used to study together before finals, and it felt really weird and sort of bad to be doing it on my own. I started panicking, I guess, and called him. I hadn’t called him for a while- he picked up, but he was at a party. I was like, hyperventilating, and I heard the music through the phone. I couldn’t even say anything, I just wished him a goodnight and hung up. It never went back to normal after that.”

The two older boys sat there, thinking heavily. Oikawa spoke up. “Did he know you were in finals?”

“No,” Akaashi shook his head. “I doubt he knew I was panicking either. I don’t blame him for it. I just realized after it happened that we were never going to go back to the way we were. Honestly guys, I’m fine. It just messed with me a bit.”

“Alright Keiji, we’ll drop it,” Suga smiled. “But if he tries to talk to you, I swear to anything I’ll go Sangwoo on his ankles.”

“Amen Hallelujah,” Oikawa agreed. 


	5. apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo was silent for a moment. “You’re a f#ckin idiot.”
> 
> “I KNOW THAT. PLEASE HELP ME.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this chapter is late! im hoping to update twice today, but we’ll see what happens

“Alright, that should do it!” The interviewer chirped, pausing the recording on her tablet. “I want to thank you again for letting me ask you these questions, I know you’re a busy man!”

Bokuto rubbed the back of his neck, grinning. He had been asked to answer some questions for the school website at his last game, and had finally been able to meet up with one of the journalists at the library early in the morning. “It’s really not a problem. It was fun, sort of.”

The girl rolled her eyes, standing up. “You don’t need to flatter me, I know these can get annoying. I’d love to hang around and chat, but my next guest should be arriving any minute now.”

Bokuto stood up as well, shaking her hand. “I’ll be out of your hair then.”

Her eyes fell on something behind him. “Oh, there he is now. Akaashi! Over here!”

Time froze. Oh God, he wasn’t ready. He turned around in slow motion, in time to see Akaashi striding towards their table at the interviewer’s call. He too, froze, seeing Bokuto.

“Akaashi,” Bokuto said dumbly.

“Bokuto-san,” he blinked. “I- hello.”

“You two know each other?” The interviewer asked. Neither of them paid her any heed.

“Akaashi,” he repeated. The younger man had bedhead, curls sticking up at odd angles and hanging over his eyes. He was wearing a sweater and ripped jeans and Bokuto wasn’t sure he was breathing.

“You were at my concert,” Akaashi said, never one to beat around the bush.

Bokuto broke eye contact. “I didn’t know you played piano, I wanted to hear. Um- I know. I know it’s too early for this, but can we talk?”

Akaashi stared at him for a long moment. “I have an interview to do.”

“I can wait.”

Akaashi’s eyes fluttered up in an eye roll. “Fine. You can wait outside, I should be done in a few minutes.”

“Thank you,” Bokuto nodded fervently. He rushed outside and called Kuroo, hoping to get some advice before Akaashi was done.

The line finally picked up. “I did something,” Bokuto blurted.

_ “Oh no.” _

“I had an interview this morning. Then Akaashi was there. I panicked and asked him if we could talk.”

_ “Dude- slow down. What? You saw Akaashi again?” _

Bokuto ran a hand over his face, shooting a glance back through the glass door to make sure Akaashi was still preoccupied. “Yeah, and I asked him to talk. We’re gonna talk once he’s done with his interview.”

Kuroo was silent for a moment.  _ “You’re a f#ckin idiot.” _

“I KNOW THAT. PLEASE HELP ME.”

_ “Okay, okay. This is what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna take him out and buy him whatever coffee he wants. Then you’re gonna sit down and say that he doesn’t have to forgive you right then or at all but you want him to know how extremely sorry you are. You’re good at apologizing, I think you can do that. If he takes it well, offer to give him some of your Gen Ed notes or something.” _

Bokuto frantically repeated the steps in his head, desperate not to forget anything. “Okay, got it. What if he doesn’t react well?”

_ “You apologize for everything again and go your separate ways.” _

A lump formed in Bokuto’s throat. “I don’t want to go our separate ways, Kuroo. I want to know him again.”

_ “You were just saying a couple days ago that you weren’t sure if you missed him.” _

“That’s before I realized how much he changed! His ears are pierced, he plays piano, he looks older!” Bokuto exclaimed.

_ “He is older.” _

“Exactly.”

Kuroo sighed heavily from the other end. “Listen, Kou. I can’t really say how this will go. If he’s anything like you though, he’ll put the value of your friendship over his own misgivings and give it a shot. Don’t count on that, but I’m rooting for you.”

Bokuto saw movement out of his peripheral vision. “I hope you’re right. I gotta go, wish me luck.”

_ “You’re gonna need it.” _

Bokuto hung up and pretended he was just scrolling through TikTok when Akaashi pushed the door open. He looked marginally less dead than he had when he arrived, but his curls were pushed up to one side like he’d had his head in his hand.

“Bokuto-san, thank you for waiting.” Akaashi adjusted his book bag on his shoulder. “I don’t have a class until eleven, so I’m free to talk for a while.”

Bokuto nodded, chewing on his lip. “Do you want to go grab a latte or something?”

Akaashi brightened a notch. “That would be nice. Do you have a place in mind?”

-

They finally sat down with their drinks, relaxing into the arm chairs by the window. Akaashi had protested when Bokuto paid for his drink, but he wouldn’t budge. He was too happy that Akaashi had ordered just what he thought, a triple shot with vanilla.

Akaashi sipped at his espresso, eyelids drooping a bit with contentment. “Thank you,” he murmured. “It’s funny, you still get your matcha tea latte.”

“You still get your triple shot with three pumps of vanilla,” Bokuto reminded him.

They smiled at each other and something clicked into place in the back of Bokuto’s mind.

Akaashi was the first to break their gaze. “What did you want to talk about?” He asked. “Aside from the concert, I assume.”

Bokuto took a deep breath. “Is it alright if I talk for a minute? I’ve been sort of planning what I want to say.”

Something indecipherable- perhaps surprised, maybe warm- passed over Akaashi’s eyes. “Go ahead, Bokuto-san.”

“Akaashi, I want to apologize. I haven’t been a good friend. Ever since late fall last year, I haven’t been reciprocating your attempts at preserving our friendship and we lost touch because of me. I didn’t- I didn’t mean to stop, it just sort of happened. It was immature and unempathetic and I’m really sorry. I want to try to make it up to you. You don’t have to forgive me right now- or even ever, but I just… I wanted you to know.” Bokuto forced himself to look at Akaashi as he finished, trying to push any genuine expression he could muster out. Then again, no one could read him as well as Akaashi once did, perhaps it wasn’t necessary.

There was a quiet minute before Akaashi let out a sigh of relief. “Thank God,” he breathed.

Bokuto’s eyes felt like they were going to pop out of his head. “What?”

Akaashi gave him a lazy smile (and something in Bokuto’s brain fizzed to a halt.) “I thought you found out about the crush I had on you and got uncomfortable or something- I thought that’s why you stopped talking to me.”

What.

His mind wasn’t comprehending Akaashi’s words. “No, yeah! I promise it wasn’t that, just school and all. You’ll see if you haven’t already, freshman year gets pretty crazy.”

Akaashi had had a crush on him? For how long? Why? When did it start and end? Why did he never say anything?

He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as Akaashi spoke again. “That’s really good to hear, Bokuto-san. Honestly, I moved past any resentment I had a while ago. Your apology is still very much appreciated, don’t get me wrong, but there’s nothing to forgive.”

Something felt off about his wording, his tone, but Bokuto’s brain was too exhausted to try and decipher that. “I disagree with that last statement, but I’m glad you’re not angry.

They fell into a comfortable silence, examining how the other had changed in the year apart. Akaashi was… He somehow managed to be a completely different person and exactly the same. He was older, more defined, but his eyes were the same intense, paralyzing force they always had been. His chest was a bit broader and his arms had more muscle definition, but he was still elegant and fluid in his movements.

There was more. He didn’t shy away from eye contact like he once had. When he spoke, his gaze was level and his words were firm. It was different, refreshing, and Bokuto wanted to know more.

He fiddled with his hands in his lap.

“You’re not saying something,” Akaashi noted.

Bokuto looked up to meet his eye. “Still reading me, huh?”

A sly smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “You don’t make it difficult, Bokuto-san.”

Akaashi had liked him. He had wanted Bokuto, wanted him more than Bokuto ever knew and the thought wasn’t making sense yet. How could he have liked him that way? He would have to ask Kuroo to make sense of it.

“Akaashi, I want to get to know you again.”

Akaashi looked down at his drink. “I would like that, Bokuto-san.”

He wanted to tell him to drop the honorific. He wanted to be just as close as they were back in high school, but with the new Akaashi that had earrings and played the piano and said exactly what he meant.

Kuroo said he needed to go slow, though, so he just grinned at his old friend. “Same number?”

“Same number.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also i should note. akaashi is def gonna act like everything is fine bc he has some 😺 unresolved feelings 😺 for his old captain. PLEASE COMMENT YALL IT WOULD MAKE ME SO HAPPY


	6. ground rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Not a-“ Suga stammered. “Not a big deal? This dude ghosted you for a year with no explanation, and you’re just going to accept his terrible apology with no further thought?”
> 
> Akaashi looked down. “It’s Bokuto, I can’t say no.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry about the late update!! this weekend was loco crazy. i hope you enjoy, we’re finally seeing some action!!

Despite being the kindest, most accepting people Akaashi had ever met, Suga and Oikawa were also the most terrifying. Akaashi squirmed uncomfortably under their joint gaze. Their disbelief was palpable in the air.

“I know you did not just say what you just said.” Suga finally broke the silence.

Akaashi shifted. “I don’t really see the pro-“

“You’ve got one chance to say that was a big huge prank, that you’re pulling a funny funny on us. One chance,” Oikawa threatened.

“I’m not joking,” Akaashi huffed. “We talked it over, Bokuto wants to be friends again. I’m fine with that.”

Suga and Oikawa groaned in tandem.

“Keiji!”

“You’re better than this!”

“We  _ raised  _ you better than this!!”

Akaashi grunted. “Stop it, it’s not a big deal.”

“Not a-“ Suga stammered. “Not a big deal? This dude ghosted you for a year with no explanation, and you’re just going to  _ accept  _ his terrible apology with no further thought?”

Akaashi looked down. “It’s Bokuto, I can’t say no.”

“That’s the problem in the first place,” Oikawa snapped. “Bloody ridiculous, Keiji. It’s been a year, and you’re still simping?”

Akaashi turned a pleasant shade of red. “I’m not simping! Bokuto is straight, he just wants to be friends again! Besides, I told him how I used to have a crush on him- he didn’t even know! So everything’s fine!”

It felt a bit silly saying it. Judging by Oikawa and Suga’s mirrored expression of horror, that was an apt observation.

“There are so many unresolved issues there, I can’t even- You think Bokuto Koutarou is  _ straight,  _ first of all?”

Akaashi cocked his head. “Well, yeah. In high school he always talked about all of the girls he wanted to get confessions from.”

“He would,” Suga grumbled. “But no, he also likes men. That’s- Tooru, focus, that’s not the point. Keiji. He treated your friendship- he treated  _ you  _ as something expendable, something replaceable. You can’t go running back to him just because he apologized.”

That left a bitter taste in Akaashi’s mouth. Suga was right, but Akaashi didn’t have to like it. He wanted to think he was more important to Bokuto, which was obviously not true. Even when Bokuto had apologized, he had sensed something wasn’t adding up. You don’t just  _ accidentally  _ forget the existence of your best friend. There was more at play, but Akaashi didn’t know what.

“I still care about him,” Akaashi whispered.

Tooru made a sound of sympathy. “I know, Keiji. And you’re wonderful for that. We’re just worried you’re going to get hurt again. You were so miserable when we met-“

“Tooru!”

“Hush, Koushi, I’m monologue-ing. You were so miserable when we met, it would make us so sad to see you go back to that. We can’t let you.”

Akaashi met their eyes. “What can I do, then? I’m not going to back out.”

Sugawara put a hand on his knee. “We’re not saying you should. Neither of us know Bokuto very well, so we can’t offer much help. But we’re here for you to talk- you just need to take it slow, okay? Don’t rush to be exactly like you were when you were in high school. You’ve both changed, and assuming he’s at all worth your time, your dynamic will probably shift.”

They were right, of course. Again. “Yeah,” Akaashi admitted. “I get it. I just… I’ve missed him a lot. I don’t want to turn him down without giving him a chance.”

“So don’t,” Oikawa agreed. “Just take it slow. Don’t let him back in without watching for red flags. And find out the actual reason he ghosted you.”

Akaashi bit the inside of his cheek. “Okay.”

Suga checked the time. “Alright, we’ve got about an hour and a half ‘til your piano night- Tooru, grab him before he can run off- we’re giving you a manicure.”

Akaashi shrieked but Tooru already had him pinned. “I bought black sparkly nail polish at Walgreens! It’s going to look fantastic!”

Sugawara cackled as Akaashi let out a dramatic sob. “Put a sock in it,” He warned. “Or we get to pluck your eyebrows.”

That shut him up. They managed to wrangle him into a reluctant sitting position, lamenting the waste of his beautiful fingers as they painted his nails. Akaashi just hoped they would be completely dry by the time he performed.

-

The forespoken “piano night” was just Akaashi playing the main accompaniment for an orchestra playing some of Bach’s Preludes. Akaashi had tried to tell Suga and Oikawa not to bother coming, but they wouldn’t hear it, claiming that he had purposefully hidden the last one from them. Akaashi knew they were just pissy about not seeing Bokuto in the audience.

He peeked out of the curtain. The orchestra was already completely set up, tuning and scales ringing out through the theatre. Everyone was dressed in black formal. If he squinted, he could see Oikawa and Suga in the front row. They were wearing matching button downs. Ridiculous.

Akaashi himself was in a simple black tux. He was happy he had it- he had saved up money from accompaniment events to get one specially fitted to his measurements, and used it for all of his formal performances.

“Akaashi,” a soft voice rang out. Akaashi stood up and looked over to see the conductor smiling at him.

“Are you ready to go?” She asked.

“I am, thank you. Will we walk out together?” He asked.

“You  _ are  _ our guest of honor,” the little woman chirped.

Akaashi ran a hand through his slicked back hair and tugged on his earring lightly. “You flatter me, Nia-san.”

The two strode through the parted curtain, inciting an abrupt silence from the orchestra and audience alike. Nii-san introduced herself and bowed, then introduced Akaashi. He took a step forward and bowed as well.

In the moment before he rose, in a cruel repetitive irony, his eyes met Bokuto’s in the audience.

Oh, God. Again? Tonight? He tried to ignore the flutter in his chest at the knowledge that Bokuto had come to see him perform again.

His hair was slicked back as well, but not into his normal spikes. He was in a black button down shirt that hugged his chest in a way that was altogether too distracting, gold eyes piercing through the darkness.

He had looked at Akaashi the way he used to- when Akaashi sent him a serve he knew was perfect for a vicious straight shot.

Akaashi’s face hadn’t changed expression- he was nothing if not controlled- but he felt like he had a duty now. He had to do more than go through the motions, he had to perform.

There was no guarantee Bokuto-san enjoyed classical music at all. In fact, if Akaashi were to guess, he would bet Bokuto was incredibly bored by it. But he had come again, of his own volition, to hear Akaashi play.

And Akaashi would be damned if he didn’t give his old friend something worth remembering.

-

He was swarmed as soon as he entered the common hall, directors begging him to change majors, small indie band members in need of a keyboardist, a couple game developers unsubtly offering to pay him to write music for their program. It was nothing new, but Akaashi wanted to find his friends.

They found him first. Oikawa’s height allowed him to draw more attention to himself, opening up the opportunity for Suga to tug Akaashi away.

“Fantastic as always!” Suga whispered excitedly. “You seemed really into it!”

“Thank you, Koushi,” Akaashi smiled warmly. “I’m glad you came.”

Oikawa joined them, draping Akaashi’s long tan coat over his shoulders. “I grabbed it from your dressing room so you wouldn’t have to go back there. Do you have your bag?”

Akaashi felt a happy feeling in his chest at the thoughtfulness. “Yes, it should be in the cubbies by the stage door.”

“Let’s go then, I bought ice cream.”

The trio made a start for the door before Akaahi stopped in his tracks. Bokuto was waving desperately at him from the center of the room, unable to find a path to him through the crowd. Oikawa and Suga followed his gaze.

“He did not…” Suga hissed.

“The audacity,” Oikawa agreed.

Akaashi ignored him. “You two get the car started, I’ll be right there.”

“Absolutely not- not while he’s-“ Suga began.

“Go,” Akaashi snapped. There was no malice in his tone, but he wasn’t going to back down on this. Oikawa sighed and tugged Suga to the door.

Akaashi ducked under the arms of the crowd, making his way to the center of the room. He popped up, startling the other man.

“Bokuto-san,” he greeted.

“Akaashi!” Bokuto chirped. “I’m so glad I could see you before you leave! Um- I got you these.” Bokuto pulled a bouquet of mixed flowers from behind his back and pushed them forward.

He felt his cheeks heat up, a grateful smile breaking out over his face. “They’re lovely, Bokuto-san. Thank you very much.”

Bokuto gave him a strange look. Not unpleasant but… indecipherable. “You play very well,” he said at last. “I’m really happy I came. You were incredible, so seriously crazy good!”

Akaashi looked at their feet. It was moments like this that he had missed like he had missed a limb. Bokuto said exactly what he meant, and that meant he had actually enjoyed the performance.

“Thank you. I-“ His phone buzzed, and he winced. “My roommates are waiting for me in the car. Thank you for coming- for these. I’ll text you.”

“I’ll text you first,” Bokuto replied. His gaze was unwavering.

He felt the significance of the statement.

“Alright,” Akaashi agreed. “I’ll see you around, then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment your thoughts!!! i love talking to you guys


	7. my own buried treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Bro,” Kuroo greeted grimly.
> 
> “Bro,” Bokuto replied. They quickly completed their friendship handshake before returning to the issue at hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is absolute dogshit im so sorry. the direction im taking this fic changed from my original outline so im sort of having to scramble to stay on track. but yeah i mean enjoy and lmk your thoughts

Soul searching was a hard thing to do. It wasn’t easy to take a look at yourself and know, deep down, that you’ve done something wrong. That you’ve hidden something, that you need to tell the truth.

For the past few weeks, with the reintroduction of Akaashi to his life, Bokuto has had to do some soul searching. He remembered how important Akaashi was to him, how he would have done anything to win his praise.

How he really wasn’t all that surprised when Akaashi confessed how he had… liked him. Back in high school.

Bokuto had always thought of himself as a lady’s man. He wanted to be smooth, suave, a celebrity like presence that people fawned over. Akaashi gave him none of that, and it was addicting. He remembered doing anything he could to get him to just  _ pay attention  _ and voice his admiration. It was like that for the two years they were together- as friends, of course.

It was during the current interim weeks, then, that Bokuto was abruptly struck with the realization that he had  _ been in love with Akaashi. _

All the times he had stared at Akaashi’s lithe, graceful form- it wasn’t just appreciation. He had wanted, he had yearned to touch, to hold, to have the younger man as something more.

When Bokuto went to university, the ferocity with which he missed Akaashi scared him. He did the only thing he could to protect his heart. He began to distance himself, hoping Akaashi would forgive him and have a final year in high school without being tied to a college student. And for a while, it worked. Bokuto never really forgot about Akaashi, but by the time he had managed to convince himself that he hadn’t actually liked Akaashi and they had just naturally grown apart as friends, he felt way too guilty to reply.

Which brought him to the present, where all the repressed emotions he had been stuffing down for years were resurfacing. He wasn’t still in love with Akaashi, but being around him was not easy. Part of him wanted to be exactly like they were back in high school, part of him wanted to give up and hide.

He wouldn’t though, not again. Not when Akaashi spoke his mind with dry wit, snark and sly smiles coming easier now than they did when Bokuto knew him. Bokuto was experiencing the same intrigue he did when they first met, all those years ago. Akaashi was the most familiar stranger he had ever met, and he was desperate to make things right.

-

Bokuto walked into his living room after a long practice to see Akaashi leaning over Kenma’s shoulder, both of them shouting nonsense at his switch. Akaashi was wearing a tan sweater vest, a black turtleneck, and light slacks. Bokuto thought he might be dead.

“Kenma, Kenma, the music literally just changed. You’re so dead, get out of there now!”

“Not until I get the box!”

“You’re gonna get killed before you can go to the backroom, please! You can come back once you restock equipment!”

“Hey,” Bokuto interrupted. Neither of them looked up. Kuroo didn’t look like he was here- why- didn’t Kenma have school? Why was Akaashi here?

“Ken, I swear to God, you’re about to lose all your- right corner! It’s right there!”

“I see it!” Kenma cried, fingers flying over the controls.

Bokuto felt himself get tugged into the kitchen.

“Bro,” Kuroo greeted grimly.

“Bro,” Bokuto replied. They quickly completed their friendship handshake before returning to the issue at hand.

“Why are Akaashi and Kenma here?” Bokuto asked desperately.

“Kenma and I were hanging out, he asked if he could bring a friend over while I grabbed groceries. I didn’t know-“

“Have they even hung out since high school?” Bokuto interrupted, peeking out the door. They were so cute. Kuroo pulled him back in.

“I don’t even know, but Kenma is actually talking. Maybe I should try to play with him.”

“Not right now though- I need your help,” Bokuto sighed.

Kuroo raised an eyebrow. “It  _ has _ been a few weeks since you called me in a panic, I suppose it’s time. Should we go to my room?”

“Mine,” Bokuto huffed. “Yours has dirty laundry all over.” Bokuto dodged a smack as they headed down the hall. “Hey! Don’t shoot the messenger.”

Kuroo mumbled something about the pot calling the kettle black as they walked into his room. He shut the door behind them and immediately made himself comfortable in Bokuto’s bed.

“I’m ready.”

“You’re okay mentally, yeah? Cuz like, I don’t have to unload this right now if you’re stressed or anything.” Bokuto met his gaze, making sure his best friend was good.

Kuroo gave him a fond look. “I would tell you if I wasn’t. C’mon, Kou”

Bokuto sighed, sat down, and began explaining his thoughts. He told the truth about why he had abandoned Akaashi, the fear and guilt that still plagued him. It wasn’t easy to totally open up, but Bokuto knew it had needed to happen for quite some time. Kuroo listened attentively, asking a few questions now and again.

When Bokuto finally finished, Kuroo thought for a moment. “Kou, I think I know part of the issue.”

“What?”

“It’s not what you’re gonna want to hear.”

“The time for things I wanted to hear passed a while ago.”

Kuroo ran a hand through his untamed hair. “I just can’t help but think… You forced yourself to stop thinking about Akaashi so abruptly, in the middle of when you were still completely whipped. Did you ever actually get over him?”

Oh, no. Absolutely not. Kuroo was wrong. That couldn’t be happening. “I- Of course I did.”

“I don’t know man. It seems like that might still be a… I dunno. A problem.”

Just then, a gentle knock sounded at his door. “Bokuto-san?” Akaashi’s muffled voice rang out.

Bokuto’s head fell into his hands. “Oh no,” he whispered.

Kuroo patted his back reassuringly. “Hey Akaashi, he’s in here.”

“Oh, Kuroo, we were looking for you too. Kenma wants to know if you’ll come play Mario Kart 8 with us.”

Kuroo and Bokuto looked at the door, then shared a look.

“Give us like five minutes, yeah?” Bokuto asked. He was extremely proud of his voice for not cracking.

They heard a thud on the door. “Y-yep. We’ll get it set up.”

Kuroo waited until the sound of retreating footsteps before turning back to Bokuto. “Listen, dude. This whole situation sucks. It’s really hard. But I’m here for you, Kenma’s here for you, Akaashi is honestly probably here for you too. You’re gonna figure this out, okay? I believe in you.”

Bokuto took a deep breath. That’s right, he was going to fix this. “Yeah. Thanks man, it means a lot.”

“Don’t you dare go sappy on me, I’m about to turn you dust you on Rainbow Road.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so thats that (: again. sorry about the quality. itll get better soon. pls kudos and comment im so horny for validation


	8. progress for us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He tried in vain to tug on Bokuto’s sleeve, to get him to another café, but it was too late. Oikawa and Suga locked onto their location and rose in sync, floating towards them with a shared, indecipherable look.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think i might be on crack. but inspiration for this chapter struck me and then kicked me while i was down until i finished. enjoy 😋😁😎

“Bokuto-san, please hurry up.” Akaashi held the door open, staring unimpressed as Bokuto grappled with his coat.

They had been hanging out for about a month then, since their conversation in the coffee shop. They still hadn’t talked at any length about the interim between high school and college, and all the feelings still wrapped up in that. Akaashi had no intention of bringing it up, either. He had also managed to keep Suga and Oikawa away from Bokuto, which was a victory in and of itself. He knew, given the chance, they would likely interrogate him shamelessly. That was not something Akaashi wanted to see happen. Not yet, anyways. Not while things were still so… Fresh. Fragile, maybe. Like one wrong move on either of their parts would send them away from each other forever.

Akaashi wanted to believe that they were stronger than that. They had been each other’s constant for so long- balancing and uplifting one another seamlessly for two years. But after that year apart, Akaashi wasn’t ready to put his faith back in something that could be so easily lost.

They were taking baby steps, though. That was good. They got coffee together a couple times a week, trying different cafes around the city for an excuse to spend time together. Akaashi also hung out with Kenma pretty frequently, who spent every moment not at school in Kuroo and Bokuto’s place. Bokuto was inevitably there most of the time, so the four of them had started to hang out.

It was strange territory, reacquainting himself with his old best friend like a stranger. It was a dizzying contrast, knowing incredibly intimate details about Bokuto at the same time as learning all the ways he had changed in their year apart. For example, Akaashi learned that Bokuto has been seeing a therapist to help him learn how to self regulate his mood swings better. This was new, encouraging information. At the same time, Akaashi already knew how much he feared being perceived as someone in “need of help”- or really neurodivergent at all. Akaashi also knew how this fear came from his parents, who were not keen to believe their son operated any way other than normal.

So yes, it was strange, but necessary- to make sure they wouldn’t have a repeat of the past year.

“Akaaaashiiii!” Bokuto whined, slamming him back down into the present. That’s right. They were getting coffee, as usual, and Bokuto was struggling with the zipper of his coat.

Akaashi let the door fall closed behind him as he sighed, returning to Bokuto. He lightly whacked Bokuto’s hands away and fiddled with the zipper for a minute before fully unzipping the coat. Bokuto cheered, and Akaashi couldn’t help but shake his head fondly.

They walked into the café together, and Akaashi immediately felt as though he was being watched. He scanned the room while Bokuto scanned the menu, searching for the source of the raised hairs on the back of his neck. His eyes widened when he made contact with a set of, respectively, soft grey and beautiful brown hair.

He tried in vain to tug on Bokuto’s sleeve, to get him to another café, but it was too late. Oikawa and Suga locked onto their location and rose in sync, floating towards them with a shared, indecipherable look.

“Keiji!” Oikawa chirped, waving as he and Suga approached. Bokuto looked over to the callers. Akaashi did not.

“Do you know that guy?” Bokuto whispered.

“No,” Akaashi shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Never met him.”

“Keiji,” Oikawa repeated. He pinched Akaashi’s cheek before Akaashi could swat his hand away. “Aren’t you going to say hello?”

Akaashi smacked the back of his hand. “No, I’m not. Hello, Koushi.”

Suga smiled triumphantly. “Hello Keiji. And- Bokuto, right?”

Bokuto nodded, confused. “Yeah… Aren’t you the old setter from Karasuno? Suga, right?”

He nodded. “Good memory, yeah. I’m the old setter from Karasuno, Oikawa here is the old setter from Seijoh, and Akaashi-“

“Is the setter from Fukurodani!!” Bokuto finished excitedly. He turned to Akaashi, who was contemplating subtle ways to end his own life. “Akaashi!! You have so many setter friends!”

“They’re just proximity associates,” Akaashi grumbled.

“He means roommates,” Oikawa mused, slinging an arm around his shoulder. “We got him the best suite in the school!”

“I’ve never seen his- well, I guess your place. It must be nice, Akaashi is so tidy.”

A flash of irritation crossed Suga’s face. “I suppose you’d know-“

“-ANYWAYS,” Akaashi interrupted, shooting a murderous glare towards his roommates. “Bokuto and I need to order our drinks. We’re happy to stay and talk to you, if your table has room.”

“It does!” Suga and Oikawa said together.

Akaashi thought for a moment. Oikawa and Suga would fight tooth and nail for a chance to drill Bokuto with questions, regardless of his best attempts to shield him. Knowing that, it would be best to give them the opportunity to ask him a  _ few  _ questions alone as opposed to painfully drawing out the interview together.

“Bokuto, what would you like? I can order for us, you can go sit with Koushi and Toru.” Akaashi sent the two of them a heavy look, trying to convey his warning.

“Oh! Okay! I’ll pay you back- just a pumpkin chai latte please,” Bokuto smiled warmly, folding his coat over his arm.

“Alright- no need to pay me ba…” But Bokuto was already gone, chatting excitedly with a surprised Oikawa. Akaashi smiled. He would be alright. He went up to the counter to order, occasionally glancing back at his friends. Bokuto didn’t  _ seem  _ uncomfortable. His black-silver hair bobbed with animation as he talked about something. Oikawa and Suga seemed invested as opposed to accusatory.

He really hoped they would get along.

“Sir?” An attractive barista called for his attention. Akaashi looked back at the blond boy, blinking.

“Sorry, I lost my head for a moment. Could I get a medium hot pumpkin chai and a white mocha-caramel steamer?” Akaashi smiled slightly.

The boy took his order quickly. “Anything else for you today?”

Akaashi shook his head, risking a glance back at his friends. “No, that will be all, thank you.”

“10.75.”

Akaashi paid and waited in line for his drinks to be called out. He heard loud laughter and looked back to see his three friends doubled over. The sight warmed him from the inside out- he hadn’t realized how much he had wanted his worlds to collide until then.

Bokuto was just naturally charming. He was warm, radiant, bubbly in a way no good person could resist. He was magnetic, enigmatic, he was something more than human. Akaashi knew he was being stupid and poetic, but he had missed Bokuto so much.

The drinks were called and Akaashi brought them over to the table.

“Bokuto-san, here is your chai. No, put your money away, this one’s on me.”

Bokuto beamed up at him, accepting the cup. “Alright Akaashi, but I’m paying next time. Hey, yours has something written on it!”

Akaashi checked the cup- sure enough, a small  _ Call me <3 xxx-xxx-xxxx  _ was scribbled in Sharpie on the side. He glanced back at the barista at the register, who was avoiding eye contact.

“This one’s kinda cute,” Oikawa commented. “The message isn’t creative, though.”

“This one?” Bokuto asked.

“Yeah,” Suga laughed. “Keiji gets hit up all the time.”

“I do not!” Akaashi protested.

Oikawa pulled out his phone. “I have a note here with all the times someone has tried to get your number this past month. Do you want me to put you on blast right now?”

Akaashi looked down. “No.”

Bokuto gave him a strange look. “That’s new,” he noted. “Not that you weren’t attractive before! Just that… I don’t know.”

“It’s the earrings,” Akaashi explained with an eye roll.

“You’re an idiot,” Suga huffed.

-

Bokuto and Akaashi waved goodbye to Oikawa and Suga, heading out the door to walk back to the dorms.

“I like your roommates,” Bokuto said once they were immediately out of earshot.

“I do too,” Akaashi admitted. “They can be a pain, but they’re my best friends.”

Bokuto went quiet, and Akaashi realized how that sounded.

“I didn’t mean-“

“No, I know,” Bokuto rushed. “I’m happy for you. You… you deserve people that support you like they do.”

The pace of their walk slowed, both of them sensing a weight approaching.

“I wanted that to be you,” Akaashi confessed, barely above a whisper.

Bokuto looked pained. “I know. I did too. I don’t- I’m really sorry, Akaashi.”

“You don’t have to keep apologizing, Bokuto-san. I forgave you a while ago.”

“But you shouldn’t have.” Bokuto stopped walking, staring intently down at Akaashi. Akaashi stopped walking too.

“What, do you want me to be angry with you?” He asked, folding his arms.

“I just mean that what I did wasn’t like, a light issue. Forgiving me without me making it up to you seems- I don’t know, naïve? Not that you’re naïve, I just mean-“

“I know,” Akaashi nodded. “It’s okay. Are you… trying to make it up to me? Is that why you reached out?”

Bokuto shrugged helplessly. “That’s part of it. I also just want to be your friend again. What… What have you been thinking?”

Akaashi sighed. “Do you want to hear the whole story?”

“Yes.”

“Okay… Well, when I first met Suga and Oikawa, I was still pretty hung up about not seeing you during winter break. They described me, and I quote, as  _ despondent and tragic.  _ I told them everything within the first few weeks of meeting them. So… when I told them we were hanging out again, they got pretty mad at me. They thought I was just gonna… I don’t know, hurt myself again.”

Akaashi didn’t look at Bokuto’s face, knowing well the expression of sadness and guilt he would find. “But listen. Being with you this past month- seeing you interact with them.” Akaashi met Bokuto’s eyes. “I think I’m making the right decision.”

“I think so too,” Bokuto smiled weakly. “Not that it means much coming from me, but I’ve grown a lot as a person since high school, and I’d really like the chance to show you.”

“I’d like that.”

They settled into a comfortable silence, beginning to walk again, before Akaashi spoke up. “I thought they were going to interrogate you.”

“Your roommates?”

“Yeah. They’re wonderful, if a bit overprotective.”

Bokuto laughed. “They did seem pretty wary at first. But yeah, I can see why you like them so much. Oh my gosh, they do this freaky thing sometimes- one of them will start talking-“

“-And the other will finish his sentence,” Akaashi laughed, oblivious to the irony. “I know. They’re fairly different people that live on the same wavelength.”

Bokuto smiled down at him, and Akaashi felt part of himself melt. “They’re sort of funny, huh? Not quite opposites, definitely not the same.”

“They compliment each other,” Akaashi replied, chest warm.

Neither of them were talking, then, about Suga and Oikawa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls kudos and comment please pls plaez


	9. come together (right now)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akaashi looked like he was deciding whether or not to argue. He sighed and nodded. “Alright, I suppose that’s fair. Bundle up, yeah? The night is cooling pretty fast.”
> 
> “It’s five pm.”
> 
> “Afternoon. Are you happy?”
> 
> “Incredibly.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so! we’re back! i can HONESTLY say now that things are picking up speed (nine chapters in- yikes). this chapter is almost 3k words but shhh we dont talk about it. lmk what you think!!

Bokuto woke up to a rapid knocking at his door. He grumbled, losing the pleasant warmth of sleep as he stumbled to his feet. He threw a shoe on the ground at Kuroo’s door to no effect- Kuroo had already left for class.

“Just a minute!” He called out. The knocking stopped. He tugged on a pair of grey joggers on his floor- he needed to clean his floor. He scratched at his bare chest and made it to the front door, opening it wide.

Akaashi stood in the entrance, eyes widening at Bokuto’s state. “Uh- is this a bad time?”

Bokuto blushed, shaking his head quickly. “No, sorry. Just woke up. How can I help you?” He asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Bokuto caught Akaashi’s eyes looking him over, probably wondering how he looked like a zombie. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. May I come in?” Akaashi asked.

“Yeah! Yeah, for sure.” Bokuto moved out of the way, stifling a yawn as he walked to the kitchen. “Tea?” He called out.

“Do you have chamomile?” Came the reply from the living room.

“Yeah, I’ll set the kettle on.” Bokuto quickly prepared a chamomile and earl grey, heading back to see Akaashi until the kettle screamed.

Akaashi was sitting on his couch, thin hands folded neatly in his lap. He looked fairly tired himself, upon a second glance. His hair was curled the way it was when he went to bed after a hot shower- a fact Bokuto was sort of surprised he recalled. He was wearing a long, soft cardigan and v neck over some jeans.

Bokuto remembered he was still shirtless and smacked his forehead. “Ah- let me go grab a sweatshirt, I’ll be right back.” He didn’t wait for Akaashi to respond before heading back to his room and pulling one of his college’s sweatshirts over his head. He returned to find Akaashi rustling through his laptop for something.

The kettle began to whistle, so Bokuto went to the kitchen to prepare their tea. He brought it back for Akaashi, who was looking at him curiously.

“So, Akaashi, why are you here? I don’t mind, but you normally only come here to hang out with Kenma, and he’s at school,” Bokuto said, blowing on his tea between sentences.

Akaashi sipped at his, seemingly unnoticing of the temperature. “In truth, Bokuto-san, I could use your help. For one of my psychology courses, we are supposed to find a subject and regulate, over the course of time, how exercise has long-term effects on the brain. I was working with a girl on the swim team, but she got an injury and needs to recover in the hospital.” Akaashi looked at him through his lashes, and Bokuto felt something in his chest twist pleasantly.

“So you want me to be a test subject or whatever?”

“Well- I wouldn’t say test subject. My study will be purely observational. If you’re alright with it, I might come a few times to analyze your emotional state through a workout or run, or I might ask you some questions before and after a practice or game. If I can get my hands on it, we could even do a brainscan at the beginning and end!” Akaashi’s tone had turned from informative to excited. Bokuto didn’t really get it, but he was happy for Akaashi.

“That’s cool!” Bokuto replied enthusiastically. “I’ve never had a brainscan before.”

“It’s honestly kind of sobering. You see the organ that controls your everything- your personality, your speech, what you see and sense, your heartbeat- all of it right there on that screen.” Akaashi perked up even more. “Would you like to see mine?”

“Yeah!”

They spent the next fifteen minutes looking through different readings of Akaashi’s brain. Bokuto began to understand why Akaashi was so fascinated. It was crazy that a series of pictures could tell you so much about the way a person operated.

“Look, here, this is my anterior insular cortex- it registers empathy, more so than any other part of my brain. This one, where it’s all fired up- they showed me a picture of a team screaming and cheering after winning a tournament- I’m actually pretty sure it was Itachiyama from a few years ago. So you can see, in my brain, how I empathize.”

“That’s insane. Show me more.”

“Alright, this is my cingulate gyrus…”

The mini lesson continued until Akaashi huffed. “You didn’t even answer my question.”

“You didn’t ask.”

He furrowed his brow. “Hmm. I suppose you’re right. Bokuto, could you help me out with my class?”

“Yeah, I can. This sounds cool. Hey- we gotta make a deal though.”

“What would you like our compromise to be?”

“If you’re gonna start coming to my practices and games and stuff, could you maybe set for me sometimes?” Bokuto asked hopefully.

Akaashi gave him a strangle look. “Don’t you have an official setter for that?”

“Well, yeah, but he doesn’t always want to practice. And I don’t know,” Bokuto trailed off, looking at the couch. “I miss your sets sometimes.”

Something in Akaashi’s gaze softened noticeably. “Alright. I will set for you sometimes. You’ll probably get tired of that quickly, I’m pretty rusty.”

Bokuto met his eyes, joy filling his heart. It would be so much fun! Besides… Looking at Akaashi, he could never be rusty! Not when everything about him was shiny and special and rare and… Oh God, Kuroo was right.

“I know you’ll be great,” he said weakly.

Akaashi stood up with a smile. “Fantastic. I’ll contact you about everything, I really appreciate your help. I wish I could stay and chat, but I have to make a few changes before the project starts. Um, if you’d like, we could hang out tonight?”

“I would absolutely like that,” Bokuto nodded vigorously. “We could invite Kuroo and Kenma if you wanted.”

“That’s alright,” Akaashi murmured after a minute. “We don’t have to.”

A little thrill ran through Bokuto at that. “See you then.”

-

Bokuto was preparing to text Akaashi to ask if he wanted tea when he arrived when Akaashi walked in, two coffee cups in hand.

“Decaf turtle,” Akaashi announced. “135 degrees.”

Bokuto thought there was a decent chance he might start crying. “You- you’re the best. You know that, right? You’re an angel?”

Akaashi rolled his eyes. “Always dramatic, Bokuto-san. It should still be hot, but you should start drinking it now.”

He brought the cup to his lips, trying to be subtle about watching Akaashi sip at his. “What do you want to do tonight?” He asked.

Akaashi stretched and yawned, shirt riding up to give just a strip of skin at his stomach. Bokuto looked away. “I’m down for whatever, but I know that ice rink near the east side of campus just opened up.”

Bokuto brightened. “You want to go ice skating? Akaashi, that would be so fun! You bought coffee the past two times, I can pay for our rentals.”

Akaashi looked like he was deciding whether or not to argue. He sighed and nodded. “Alright, I suppose that’s fair. Bundle up, yeah? The night is cooling pretty fast.”

“It’s five pm.”

“Afternoon. Are you happy?”

“Incredibly.” Bokuto smiled at Akaashi, trying to convey the joy, the warmth, the butterflies inside him. Akaashi gave him a fond look and Bokuto felt like he won.

“Get your stuff on, then. I have my coat in my car, so I’ll be fine.”

“Have you ever gone ice skating before?”

Akaashi frowned. “Of course I have.”

“How many times?”

“…One.”

“And how did that go?”

Akaashi sniffed. “That’s none of your business. I’m a fast learner.” He ran a hand through his hair and Bokuto caught sight of his earrings- that was never going to stop surprising him, was it? Today he had little gold wire eyes dangling from his earlobes.

“Yes, yes, I know.” Bokuto stood up, taking another long drink from his latte. “Give me two minutes and we can go. Or you can go get your car started.”

“I just arrived, it should still be warm. I’ll wait for you.”

Bokuto walked to his room, immediately texting Kuroo.

(11.3, 5:13pm): Dude!!! I’m going on a friend-ice-skating-date with Akaashi!!! I’m so nervous!!”

_ >> Kuroo (November 3, 5:13pm): _That sounds really fun, Kou. You’ll do great, don’t worry.

(11.3, 5:13pm): BUT I’VE GOT BUTTERFLIES IN MY STOMACH.

_ >> Kuroo (November 3, 5:14pm): _Digest them.

He got changed quickly and rejoined Akaashi in the living room. He had donned a black bomber jacket, scarf, and long socks to stay warm.

“No gloves?” Akaashi asked with amusement.

“My hands don’t get cold.”

“That’s a flat out lie. It’s okay, I have some stretchy ones in my car.” Akaashi grabbed his keys.

“Why do they have to be stretchy?”

Akaashi gave him a flat look. He held up a hand, gesturing for Bokuto to do the same. He obeyed, face feeling hot as Akaashi pressed their palms together, slender fingers stretching up to fall just short of Bokuto’s. His hands were also thicker, larger generally than Akaashi’s.

“Got it,” Bokuto confirmed.

Akaashi seemed to realize they were still connected by their hands. He ducked his head a bit and pulled away- Bokuto could have sworn he saw a tint of red to his ears.

“Bokuto-san, the car.”

The drive was short, as the ice rink was still on campus. Bokuto got out to purchase their rental tickets while Akaashi parked his car. He walked up to the stand, filing a mental note to check out the hot chocolate after they were done.

“Can I get two skate rentals?” He asked.

“Sure,” a bored looking girl said. “Sizes?”

“7.5 and 11, both men’s.” He handed over his card and watched the door.

When he returned his gaze to the girl, she was holding out his card and narrowing her eyes.

“Hey, didn’t you go out with my friend?”

Bokuto bit the inside of his cheek. “Which one?”

“Allison- she said you guys were going to an arcade like, a month ago or more.”

“Oh yeah. Yeah, she was nice, we had fun.” He pocketed his card.

“Not enough to go out again?”

“I was preoccupied.”

“You were the one to ask her out.”

Bokuto gave her an annoyed look. “Something came up.”

She waved her hands in front of her face. “I don’t mean to pry. Just like- you’re cute, I wanted to see if she was done.”

On a normal day, Bokuto probably would have given her his number. He might have even taken her to his apartment that night. But something stopped him today, and he couldn’t pretend to be clueless as to what- or who it was.

“I’m sorry, I’m… I dunno. I like someone.” That was the first time he had said it out loud. Ever. About Akaashi, anyways. Even in high school, he had never admitted to liking Akaashi. It felt… good. Warm.

The girl made a knowing hum, looking over his shoulder. “He’s cute.”

Bokuto whipped around to see Akaashi pushing through the door, eyes searching the lobby for him. “Yeah,” he breathed, not even wondering how this lady knew it was him. “He is.”

He took the skates and waved Akaashi over.

Akaashi looked between him and the employee. “You’re blushing.”

Bokuto gasped, clapping his hands over his cheeks. “I am not!”

He laughed, a musical little trill that made Bokuto’s heart stutter. “You so are. Did you get hit on?”

_“Aghhaaashiiii!”_ He whined. “How do you know these things?”

Akaashi led him to a bench to sit and change their shoes. “Intuition, I suppose. You don’t make it difficult to tell.”

Bokuto changed his shoes quickly and stood up on his skates. “Oh yeah? Well you- nosy!”

“Uh-huh.” Akaashi looked a bit distracted, staring at his feet. He attempted to stand, legs shaking as he balanced on his skates.

“I thought you said you’ve done this before,” Bokuto teased.

“I have,” Akaashi snapped. “Just- not in a while.”

Bokuto tucked their belongings beneath the bench and returned to attend to Akaashi.

“I can’t move,” Akaashi announced.

“Yes, you can,” Bokuto said gently. “Come on, I’ll help you.”

He was given a wary look. “How?”

“Take a step forward. I’m right here.”

Slowly, Akaashi made his way over to the ice. Bokuto wasn’t touching him, careful to invade any personal space boundaries Akaashi had set. He stepped down first onto the ice to make sure his old friend wouldn’t fall.

Akaashi managed to keep his balance for the first few moments, not daring to move a muscle for fear of losing equilibrium. “I’m not moving, but I’m _moving.”_

“You’re drifting,” Bokuto chuckled. He skated backwards for a moment, then stopped. “Don’t use the wall, skate towards me. Move your weight from leg to leg.”

“I’m gonna fall,” Akaashi huffed.

“Probably,” Bokuto admitted. “But I’ll help you back up.”

Akaashi seemed to debate for a moment. “Can- hmm. Can you help me beside me?”

Bokuto returned and offered his arm for Akaashi to hold. That way, it was his choice. “How about this?” He asked softly.

Akaashi wrapped his thin hands around his upper arm, a look of determination set on. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

Bokuto helped him get his cadence down, begging his heartrate to stay down at the way Akaashi leaned into him. Akaashi was, as he said, a fast learner, and quickly found his own rhythm. Bokuto reluctantly let go to skate ahead of Akaashi, turning around and skating backwards again to watch his movements.

“Bokuto,” he huffed, panicked. “Come back, I’m gonna fall.”

“You’re doing great!” Bokuto waved him off. “Besides, I’m right here.”

Akaashi’s knees shook and Bokuto had only a moment to register before instinctually darting an arm under Akaashi’s back, stopping his fall.

He had the audacity to look smug even as Bokuto had just barely prevented his collapse. “I told you so.”

“I wouldn’t be proud of that.” Bokuto helped him back to his feet, but Akaashi kept a hand stubbornly fisted in his jacket.

“Compromise,” Bokuto sighed, offering his gloved hand for Akaashi to hold instead.

Akaashi took his hand.

Bokuto knew he could be a bit dramatic, so this was probably along those lines. But it just felt right, Akaashi’s hand in his. They were in this together, as a team- whatever _this_ was.

He gave Akaashi a gentle smile and was awarded a warm, fond look.

Skating came easier then, with Akaashi relying on Bokuto’s help less and less. Still, their fingers stayed intertwined long past when Akaashi needed the support. They made idle conversation, teasing each other for slip-ups, making observations about the people around them. That last part was actually just Akaashi- Bokuto couldn’t imagine watching anyone except the person beside him.

Mostly they just enjoyed each other’s company. Bokuto was normally inclined to speak much more, but something about skating out in the cold set him into a pleasant quiet.

At one point, Bokuto suggested they try the lift from Dirty Dancing, which had Akaashi laughing so hard they had to breathe by the edge of the rink. Bokuto was so happy that _he_ had caused that, he didn’t even care he was the one being laughed at.

They tired out after about an hour and Akaashi managed to cut him off before he could pay for hot chocolate for them.

“I have some back at my suite.”

Bokuto blinked. Akaashi was inviting him over so they could keep hanging out. “Oh, sweet! That would be awesome. Will your roommates mind?”

Akaashi cocked his head in thought. “I don’t think they’ll be there, but I’m sure they’d be happy to have you if they are.”

They returned their skates- the lady sent Bokuto a _totally not subtle_ thumbs up which had him blushing all over again. Akaashi looked up at him quizzically.

“Aren’t you going to get her number?”

Bokuto tried not to laugh. “Why would I do that?”

“This is the second time she’s made you look like that, she didn’t even say anything.”

“Akaashi- uh, you’re just gonna have to trust me on this one.”

Later that night, Bokuto took stock of everything that had happened. He was currently sitting on Akaashi’s couch with a mug of hot chocolate on the coffee table beside him. Akaashi himself was sound asleep on his shoulder, knit blanket thrown over both their laps as an old Disney movie drew to a close in the background.

He decided he couldn’t get much luckier than that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls kudos and comment guys im literally such an attention whore


	10. development and acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His hands were trembling ever so slightly- was he experiencing caffeine withdrawals? No, he had had a coffee that morning. The only other possible explanation was a tall, broad man, with the kindest heart. Silver and grey hair that fell into his eyes, strong arms, eyes that looked like they might be glowing. Quick with a compliment, small gentle touches. Passion, excitement, love, ambition, empathy.
> 
> Akaashi dug his nails into the palms of his hands. It was caffeine withdrawals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi im sorry this chapter took me a calendar year to finish but its here now!! pls enjoy

As the year approached winter, cold set over the campus like a spell, slowing everything to little more than a wander. Everyone moved languidly, taking precious time to observe falling snow, or stare aimlessly at a fire. It was wonderful, really, something you could sink into for a few months.

It was also ridiculously, unfairly cold. Akaashi bit hard on his cheek to keep his teeth from chattering as he walked beside Bokuto. Akaashi was bundled to the nose in scarves, gloves, coats, hats, anything he could find in his closet. Bokuto was wearing shorts and sandals.

Akaashi had stared at him incredulously, asking if he was trying to come down with a cold. Bokuto had laughed and told him he had already had a cold in his life, and that he was now immune. Besides, look Akaashi, I’m wearing long sleeves.

Lord give him strength.

They finally reached the lab, Akaashi wiggling around in an attempt to heat up as soon as they crossed through the door.

Bokuto snorted. “What are you doing?”

Akaashi furrowed his brow. “I’m getting my blood to flow and warm me.”

“I bet your hands are still gonna be freezing.”

“I bet you should mind your own business.”

Akaashi turned away before Bokuto could start a silly argument, hanging his coats, scarves, and all the like on the hooks at the wall. He was left in his collared shirt and jeans, something he hoped his professor would not call him out on.

Last time he came to class in jeans, he had been mortifyingly referred to as an American physics teacher. That simply would not do. He knew it was a joke, but even the comparison made him shudder.

If anything, it was Bokuto that looked like an American physics teacher. Or an American video streamer. Or a movie star. He could be a movie star, he certainly had the jaw-

Akaashi blinked, trying to snap himself out of it. Bokuto wasn’t paying attention, instead exploring the reception area.

“Are you ready to go, Bokuto-san?”

Bokuto turned to him, a nervous grin on his face. “Absolutely.”

The two walked to the scan room, Akaashi explaining the procedures of the day. “I’m going to have a colleague of mine ask you a series of questions-“

“Why can’t you ask me?”

“I’m getting to that. Also you wouldn’t answer them seriously if I asked you.”

“Akaashi! I would too!”

“Please don’t interrupt, Bokuto-san.”

“Sorry.”

“That’s alright. I’m going to have a colleague of mine ask you a set of questions while I prepare your MRI. After you finish, you’re going to do the scan. I’ll do a short, preliminary analysis of both results, then I’ll go buy you coffee.”

Bokuto beamed. “Akaashi! You’re so nice! We always get coffee though, let’s do something new.”

“Do you have something in mind?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“A surprise.”

“A surprise I’m going to have to pay for?”

Bokuto gasped. “Akaashi, you wound me! We’ll both pay, don’t you worry your pretty little head.”

Akaashi’s cheeks warmed up a bit. “Head into that room to your left, Miss Desjardin will take you to the scan room once you’ve finished your questionnaire.”

He made sure Bokuto found his way in before continuing on, preparing the machine for use. His hands were trembling ever so slightly- was he experiencing caffeine withdrawals? No, he had had a coffee that morning. The only other possible explanation was a tall, broad man, with the kindest heart. Silver and grey hair that fell into his eyes, strong arms, eyes that looked like they might be glowing. Quick with a compliment, small gentle touches. Passion, excitement, love, ambition, empathy.

Akaashi dug his nails into the palms of his hands. It was caffeine withdrawals.

A ring sounded from his phone. Akaashi dug through his pockets and pulled out his phone, answering and pressing it to his ear.

“Tooru.”

_ “Keiji, honey, hi. What are you up to?” _

Akaashi looked at his nails. They were still fine, He could get away with not letting Oikawa touch them for a bit longer. “Lab work.”

_ “It’s a Saturday!” _

“Accurate statement. Tomorrow will be Sunday. Such is the progression of time.”

_ “You’re a terrible person. When are you coming home?” _

He checked the time. It was 10 am then, but he and Bokuto had plans to hang out after. “Uh… Not sure. Bokuto-san has something planned but he won’t tell me what.”

There was a brief silence from the other line.  _ “Is he with you right now?” _

“Not at this very moment.”

_ “He’s really hot.” _

Akaashi bit back a loud groan. “Sure.”

_ “So you agree.” _

“I’ve known he’s hot since high school, remember?”

_ “No, nu-uh. He was cute back then. He’s like- an honorary himbo now.” _

Akaashi pinched the bridge of his nose. “Did you need something or are you just calling to harass me?”

_ “Well, I was going to trick you into letting me pluck your bushy eyebrows but I won’t interrupt your plans.” _

He sighed in relief. “Yeah, okay. Thank you.”

_ “Keiji.” _

“Yeah?”

_ “He’s changed, hasn’t he? Since high school?” _

Akaashi swallowed thickly. “I mean- yeah. In some ways he hasn’t changed at all- in others I hardly recognize him. But… I’m getting to know him again.”

_ “I think he is good.” _

Oikawa saying that… It meant a lot. Especially considering it was more or less a complete 180 from just a few months ago.

_ “He’s really fond of you, Keiji. I think you made the right choice.” _

His throat felt tight. He knew he had made the right choice, but hearing Oikawa say that really locked it in. “Does Suga feel the same?”

_ “You know Suga, ever the romantic. He’s liked Bokuto for you ever since that day in the coffee shop.” _

Akaashi laughed softly. “He likes you guys too. Says I deserve friends like you.”

Oikawa sniffled from the other line.  _ “Cut that out, I’m gonna cry. Anyways, I know you’re busy. We’re gonna have a PSS talk tonight, so don’t spend the night-“ _

“TOORU.”

_ “Sorry! But yeah, call me when you’re on your way home! Bye-bye now!” _

Akaashi sighed, hanging up the phone. He was not ready for what that conversation was about to be. But that was a problem for  _ future  _ Akaashi.

-

The rest of the lab visit passed without incident, save for Miss Desjardin sending him a video of Bokuto poking around the lab when he thought no one was watching. Akaashi saved it to his phone without guilt.

Akaashi shoved the scan prints into his folder to examine later. He herded Bokuto out the door, thanking the staff and smacking his hand when he tried to grab a microscope.

Safely bundled up and stepping outside, Akaashi felt safe enough to ask his question. “What did you have in mind for today?”

Bokuto furrowed his brow for a moment before gasping. “Oh! Right! So it’s a game called Buy Something New, basically there’s a list of prompts, and we get that many things from like, Target, that we think the other person would like. When we’re done, we trade packages. Whoever has the most things that the other person likes wins!”

“What if I get it totally wrong?” Akaashi asked before he could censor himself.

Bokuto smiled gently and tapped his nose. “You couldn’t even if you tried.”

Akaashi swatted his hand away. “Alright, fine. That does sound like fun. We could go to my- actually, how about we go to the target by your place?”

“Are you inviting yourself over?”

Akaashi bristled. “No, you’re going to invite me over because neither of us want to deal with Tooru right now.”

Bokuto nodded sagely. “Akaashi, would you like to come over to my place after our Target run to go through our treasures?” They began walking in that direction.

He smiled smugly, nodding in reply. “Of course, Bokuto-san. How gracious.”

“Don’t be snarky,” Bokuto huffed. “I’m only doing this out of the goodness in my pure heart.”

“If you win the competition, I’ll write a beautiful eulogy for you when you’re inevitably martyred.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Your choice.” Akaashi’s hand reached out to grab hold of Bokuto’s shirt, stopping him from crossing the street as the light changed.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, enjoying each other’s company.

“Akaashi, you’ve changed.”

Akaashi felt a pit in his stomach open up. “You’ve mentioned.”

Bokuto’s eyes widened. “In a good way! I promise! You used to be pretty quiet. I mean, you still are, but different now! You remember walking home from school?”

“Yes.” How could he not? Those were beautiful, simple moments. Pockets outside of time, flashbulb memories.

“I talked mostly. You listened. I always liked it because talking to you was different. Normally when people are quiet, it means they’re not listening. You were always listening, even when I didn’t make much sense.”

Akaashi felt the breath catch in his chest at how blunt Bokuto was. He was right, of course. Akaashi had hung on his every word.

If he was being honest, he still did.

“And now?” Akaashi prompted.

Bokuto sent him a soft smile. “You still listen, but you’re caught up with me. You call me out when I say stuff outta pocket, keep me humble and all that. I know you listen, because when you tease, it’s always in response to stuff I say.”

Damned warmth in his chest. He felt like he was bubbling, smile tugging incessantly at his cheeks. “You’ve changed too, you know.”

“Yeah? How?”

“You have much better self-control. You’re independent, you know you’re strong enough to rely on yourself. You’ve always been confident, but you’ve proved it to yourself and found humility along the way.”

Bokuto beamed. “You really think so?”

“I know so.”

“Akaashi!!”

-

They sat cross-legged on Bokuto’s carpet, facing each other with paper bags in their laps.

“Now remember Akaashi, this is a competition. And I’m playing to win. I’m gonna get that eulogy.”

“What do I get if I win?”

“If, God forbid, we come to that bridge, we’ll cross it. Okay, first item. A drink we think we’d like. 1, 2, 3!”

Akaashi and Bokuto pulled out different flavors of Monster Energy at the same time. They burst into laughter.

“You’re kidding!” Bokuto gasped between laughs. “That’s so rich!”

“I’m gonna assume that one’s a draw,” Akaashi wheezed, popping the lid of the can Bokuto had gotten him.

“Yeah, fine. Next up, a self care product! Ready- go!”

Bokuto pulled out eye cream at the same time as Akaashi pulled out leave in conditioner.

Akaashi narrowed his eyes. “Bokuto, that’s cheating. We set a price limit for a reason.”

“No! Listen! It was on clearance!”

“You’re a liar and a coward. I win by forfeit.”

“Akaashi!!! It was only five dollars over! Let me have this.”

“Better luck next round,” Akaashi sighed in mock melancholy. He knew how expensive the stuff was because it was the same product that Akaashi snuck into Oikawa’s bathroom to use when he wasn’t home.

“Alright. Stuffed animal. Go.”

Akaashi pulled out a black cat, Bokuto pulled out Baby Yoda, or The Child, from the Mandalorian.

_ “How did you know?”  _ Akaashi whispered reverently, bringing the stuffed Child into his arms.

“You always liked Star Wars stuff, I figured you still kept up. Did you see in his hand? It has the little frog!”

Akaashi made eye contact with Bokuto. He was prepared to marry this man. “You win. Hands down.”

“Yeaaaah! Booyah!” Bokuto pumped a fist. “One more to go! Whoever wins this, wins it all!”

“I’m ready.”

“Just a minute. If I win, instead of a eulogy, I want a favor I can cash in.”

“… We’ll discuss the terms of it after, but fine. Same for me.”

“Deal. Children’s TV Show t-shirt on three. 1, 2, 3!”

Akaashi pulled out a Teen Titans shirt. Bokuto pulled out an Arthur shirt- specifically the balled up fist meme.

“HOW DID YOU-“

“I win!” Bokuto cheered, accepting his Teen Titans shirt happily.

Akaashi stared down at the shirt, defeat sinking in. “This is so not fair. I didn’t even see this.”

“Better luck next time. So, about my favor.”

“Do you already know what you want?”

“Nope! I’ll let you know when I do.”

Akaashi sighed, taking a long sip from his Monster. “Fine. A deal’s a deal.”

Bokuto cheered again, crowing his infamous “Hey, hey, hey!”

Akaashi looked over his new gifts. It honestly surprised him, how well Bokuto had done. Star Wars, dumb Arthur memes, product for his eye bags. Monster Energy, of course. It was strangely personal. It felt nice to be known in that way.

“Hey, Akaashi, you there?” Bokuto waved at him.

“Yes, sorry. What did you say?”

“Can we look at my brain scans?”

Akaashi gasped happily. “Oh gosh, yes!” He dug through his bag for the folder and pulled out the printouts. He moved to sit beside Bokuto, stubbornly ignoring the way their skin brushed. He laid the sheets out on the carpet, and began to point out the different areas of his brain, the activity patterns, and what that meant.

As he gave his little lecture, he felt like there was something he was missing. Something about the activity… but nothing looked suspicious. He decided he was making things up and finished up the explanation as his phone rang once more.

“… Aren’t you going to pick that up?”

“I already know who it is, so no.”

“Oikawa?”

“No, Tooru already called me today. He  _ would  _ call me again, but he won’t even double text, which means he’s making Koushi call.”

“Can I see?”

Akaashi handed him the phone without looking at the screen. Without warning, Bokuto slid to answer.

“Bokuto-san-“

“No, this is Bokuto! I almost said this is Patrick… Yes, he’s here with me… We were doing lab work… That’s not what I-!...” His cheeks reddened considerably. Akaashi wanted to know what Suga was saying. “I feel like I’m being baited, Sugawara. Are you baiting me?.. That is a  _ weighted question.  _ Gonna have to hang up now… Do you want me to drive him home? Now?.. I mean, we were kind of busy… Fine, fine, yeah. I’ll have him home soon.”

Bokuto hung up the call and looked at him.

“What did he say?” Akaashi asked.

“A lot of things. Main point is that your p!ss group is having an emergency meeting.”

Akaashi face planted. “Yeah, alright.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ill give u head if u kudos and comment


	11. forward march

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He really wasn’t getting out of this, was he? He sighed and took Bokuto’s hand, standing up. “What time do you want to be there? I’ll have to change.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry AGAIN about the shitty chapter. just needed to get it out. this plot is taking forever to move along like we’re eleven chapters in homeslice how are you JUST NOW realizing 😐 n e ways enjoy what u can

Falling in love with Bokuto the first time had been difficult. Akaashi had to get past all his own mental blockage- accepting the fact that he did, in fact, like men for starters. He also apparently was attracted to morons.

Akaashi remembered staring at Bokuto during practice, watching him spike a ball into the ground by a wall, then have it rebound and hit his face. He remembered thinking,  _ “That? Seriously? That’s the one?” _

Of course Bokuto was the one. Akaashi couldn’t have imagined it being anyone else.

So, getting over Bokuto in that year apart was nearly impossible. The littlest things reminded him of his ace- the morning snow before an early practice, the fruity popsicles at the corner market, the flap of a Fukurodani jacket from someone a little bit too tall.

It had taken Suga and Oikawa dragging him out of the house to get him to get over it. He went shopping with them, hung out with Kenma, and trained his team. He made the best of his last high school year. Bokuto faded to the background of his mind.

What was the point of it all, then? Because Bokuto was back in his life, more brilliant than ever before. He had learned, changed, grown in ways Akaashi was still desperate to learn.

He had taken a year to get over Bokuto, only to watch it all crash down around him.

So yes, by comparison, falling in love with Bokuto again was easy.

It was mid-December when it finally sank in for Akaashi. The experiment was well under way, Akaashi had cheered for Bokuto at a couple games and been met with a dazzling smile. Akaashi had set for Bokuto once or twice as well, remembering how good it felt to be a part of Bokuto’s power. Bokuto also came to Akaashi’s piano events, claiming he never once fell asleep. They hung out multiple times a week, never getting bored of exploring the new person they had both become.

He was in love with Bokuto. He was in love with his startling eyes, his laugh that filled up a room. He was in love with the way Bokuto was capable of so much raw power, but still treated him with the gentlest hand.

Akaashi fell hard the first time, he was crashing through the atmosphere now.

-

Akaashi was curled up in a heap on Bokuto’s couch, wrapped in the comforter blanket he stole from his friend’s bed, when the man came crashing through the door.

“Akaashi!” He panted. “Come with me.”

He didn’t budge, instead opting to blink slowly at Bokuto. “Where?”

“Party tonight. A lot of people. It’s gonna be absolutely phenomenal.”

_ Noooooooo, why?  _ Akaashi buried himself further into the blankets. That was so not his scene. Could he convince Bokuto to do a movie night instead? When was their last one-

“And no, we’re not watching a movie instead,” Bokuto smugly announced.

Akaashi made an offended noise. “That’s not fair. You don’t get to just call me out like that.”

Bokuto walked over to the couch, crawling over Akaashi’s cocooned form. Akaashi squawked, trying to get free or shove him off.

“Get off me, your breath is outrageous.”

“Come with me tonight.”

Akaashi groaned, slumping back. “Why? Can’t you take Kuroo?”

“I could, but he’s going to be there anyways. So I have to take you.”

“You don’t have to,” Akaashi mumbled, half-heartedly pushing at Bokuto’s shoulders to get him to move. “I could just… not.”

Bokuto sat back with a pout. “Yeah, but that would be super lame of you. Have you even been to a party before?”

“A couple. Tooru dragged me to a few, said he needed to teach me to dance.”

Something crossed Bokuto’s face. “Did you learn?”

“This feels like a weighted question.”

“I’m curious! We’ve never partied before, ‘Kaashi, you can’t blame me for being curious.”

“I can blame you, I do, I will. Mind your business.”

Bokuto gasped, shooting to his feet. “That means you totally can dance! Oh my gosh, you  _ have  _ to come now!”

“What, I could have convinced you otherwise before?”

“Yes,” Bokuto teased. “You lost your chance. Tragic.” He held a hand out to help Akaashi to his feet.

He really wasn’t getting out of this, was he? He sighed and took Bokuto’s hand, standing up. “What time do you want to be there? I’ll have to change.”

“Yeah, wear something cute,” Bokuto winked. Then, more serious. “And shoes you don’t like.”

Which translated for Akaashi, roughly, to “ _ reluctantly enlist his roommates for outfit help without letting them invite themselves to supervise his behavior.”  _ “Yeah, alright. What time though?”

“I’ll pick you up in like, two hours.”

-

Akaashi stood in front of his mirror, sort of shocked at himself. He had smudged black eyeliner, mascara, a long sleeve fishnet shirt under a black crop top, a pair of black jeans and some terrible sneakers. Oikawa had also switched his normal black stud earrings to some weird chain and cross situation.

His roommates were sitting side by side on his bed, anxiously awaiting his reaction.

“Well,” Akaashi noted. “No one is making any mistakes guessing which way I swing.”

Suga laughed, roughing up his hair a bit more. “You look sexy Keiji, admit it. You’re going to be that hot, mysterious man that no one gets to touch.”

“No one gets to touch him?” Oikawa asked.

Suga’s shoulders slumped reluctantly. “I suppose he can dance with some people, but there’s no way he’s going  _ home with anyone.  _ Isn’t that right, Keiji?”

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about, I don’t want to go in the first place.”

“Who’s making you go then? Why won’t you tell us?” Oikawa pressed, leaning forward.

Akaashi glared at him. “Because I know you two are going to make it into something it’s not.”

Suga gaped. “Oh my god. It’s Bokuto, isn’t it?”

“Koushi!” Akaashi snapped as Oikawa cheered.

“It totally is! Keiji, you’re letting him drag you to a party? Are you gonna dance with him?” Oikawa stood up to fuss over his hair again.

“This is hell. I’m in hell.”

“I can’t believe we didn’t do your eyebrows,” Suga lamented.

“It’s alright, Koushi, I’ve been training him. He’s going to do  _ incredibly well.”  _ Oikawa winked and Akaashi smacked him.

“I am  **begging** both of you to be chill about this. No, we’re not going as a couple. Because we’re not a couple. If I  _ do  _ go home with him, it’s because I convinced him to leave so we can just watch a movie. And I absolutely will not be doing any of what Tooru taught me.”

Suga rushed up to block the door. “Take it back.”

“Take what back?”

“The thing about the dancing.”

Akaashi stared at him incredulously. “You were just saying how you didn’t want anyone to touch me.”

Suga waved a hand in the air. “Yes, yes, I know. But this is Bokuto, it’s different.”

“How is it different?!”

Oikawa moved to stand next to Suga. “Because we’ve met him, and know he’s going to prioritize your comfort and happiness over any of his own desires.”

Warmth flooded his chest- he knew they were right. If he genuinely told Bokuto he was uncomfortable, he would leave with Akaashi without a second thought. He wouldn’t even complain, he would stay with Akaashi until he felt better and likely would stay after that.

“You know we’re right,” Suga said.

Akaashi put his head in his hands. “Fine. Fine.  _ Maybe.” _

The two cheered and unblocked the door.

“You’re going to be so hot, Keiji!”

A knock sounded on their suit door, and the three raced to be the first to answer. Akaashi got there first, kicking his leg behind him to fend off his roommates.

“Boku-“ He yelped as he was shoved out of the way.

“Bokuto!” Oikawa chirped. “Would you like to come in?”

“No,” Akaashi answered before he could, shoving his way back to the door. “Get lost you two.”

They laughed and let him squeeze out the door. He flipped them off as the door closed, then turned to look at Bokuto. His bangs fell over his eyes, gold metallic eyeliner bringing out his irises. His gaze slowly fell down, loose tank top,  _ biceps,  _ his brain helpfully supplied. Dark, skinny ripped jeans-  _ thighs,  _ his brain screamed.

He looked back up at the same time as Bokuto.

“You look great,” they said at the same time. They both laughed, Akaashi noticing a tinge of red to Bokuto’s cheeks.

“Thanks, I really can’t take the credit. One mention of a party had my roommates falling over themselves.” Akaashi rolled his eyes. “Idiots.”

Bokuto grinned. “They did good work, though. Kenma did my eyeliner.”

Akaashi didn’t feel guilty then, pressing close to get a better look. “It’s really good, you’ll have to thank him if you haven’t already.”

Bokuto laughed, blinking demurely. “I’ll thank him again. Honestly it reminds me of that time…”

Akaashi cocked his head as Bokuto trailed off, pulling away slightly. “Reminds you of what?”

Bokuto furrowed his brow. “I can’t remember. Maybe I was thinking of a dream I had. Anyways, are you ready to go?”

Akaashi nodded, setting off down the hall. “Yeah. Did you say we’re driving there?”

“Yeah, it’s like an actual party.” Bokuto saw the look on his face. “We don’t have to stay the whole time though!”

Akaashi waved him off, ignoring his fluttering heart. “It’s fine, we can stay for as long as you’d like.”

They reached the car and headed off, Akaashi feeling like his heart was on his sleeve. He was strangely excited though- he hadn’t been  _ out  _ in a while. Maybe this would be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls give me pity-kudos and pity-comments. also im not currently planning on writing the party scene but uh 😳😳 if yall WANT it i will. might post it as a oneshot. idk. basically its just the two of them pining for each other and dancing.
> 
> edit: YALL LOOK!!!! @CheCheCheer did fanart of my akaashi 😭😭😭 pls give them lots of love  
> https://twitter.com/CheeCheeCheer/status/1332488263777435648


	12. everything changes, but it all stays the same

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga emerged with a mini projector and a speaker. “It’s all set up! Oh, you guys look so cold!”
> 
> “Pussies,” Oikawa agreed solemnly. 
> 
> Akaashi threw a pen on the coffee table towards Oikawa’s head, only missing by a fraction as it clipped his ear. 
> 
> “Damn,” he sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im just gonna keep the link in the chapter ig. ALSO IM ALIVE HOLY SHIT. this chapter goes out to my fav akaashi kinnie. anyways i decided that i would rather finish this work and have it be low quality as opposed to just leaving it not done. so. yeah lol lmk what u think

This is the party scene if you want to read it. It's kinda raunchy though, so just like. Be aware. This chapter happens a few weeks after i think

[READ HERE](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27853258)

-

Bokuto stared at Akaashi, as he always did. He couldn’t make heads or tails of why (actually, he could. He chose not to.) They were fast approaching winter break, and despite his bitching, Akaashi really thrived in winter. Appearance wise, at least. 

He had these sort of artistically beautiful sunken eyes, with dark eye bags and freezing blue irises. His silky black curls framed his face, locks of hair licking across the edges of his cheekbones, fanning over his forehead. He wore these large sweaters and coats, scarves tucked all the way up over his rosy nose.

Keiji Akaashi was a living, breathing work of art. It was impossible to ignore. 

_ Even  _ when Akaashi was sort of ticked off at him for forgetting his coat again. Emphasis on again.

“You knew we would be walking, Bokuto. It’s the middle of winter.”

“I know,” Bokuto groaned, arms tight around himself. “I just got excited and forgot!”

He was having a hard time trusting his memory these days. It felt like he was always in bits and pieces, and the only things he could really trust were the core memories of high school and before. Which was stupid, he was being dramatic. Maybe it was one of those ADHD things his doctor talked about. 

Akaashi sighed and stopped walking, a hand on his arm. “Hold on, Bokuto-san.” He unwound his scarf from his neck and gestured for Bokuto to lean down.

“No Akaashi, then you’ll be cold!”

“I brought a scarf. Lean down.”

Bokuto reluctantly complied, and Akaashi gently wrapped his scarf around Bokuto’s neck. 

_ It smelled like him.  _ Bokuto wondered if God was testing him. “Thank you.”

Akaashi turned away. “Let’s keep moving.”

They were going back to Akaashi’s suite to meet up with Oikawa, Suga, Kuroo and Kenma. Akaashi had told him why, but he wasn’t really listening. This would be their first time all hanging out! How cool was that? 

On another note, things with Akaashi had been really good recently. Akaashi kept coming to his games, Bokuto kept going to his performances. They cheered each other on, and Bokuto couldn’t help but wonder why he ever let that die. Like, sure, he realized his feelings a while ago, but he shouldn’t have let that affect his friendship. He was never going to let that come between them again.

Even though he still wanted Akaashi. Badly. He looked at Akaashi, walking beside him. Sometimes, when he felt weak and tired, he imagined kissing him. He imagined the two of them alone, and Akaashi laughing, and Bokuto just closing the gap. He imagined Akaashi’s pretty hands coming up to his face, his hair, holding him close.

Bokuto tried to limit those times. He was strong, he could do better than those moments of failure. Akaashi deserved his friendship. 

They arrived minutes later, hanging up their scarf and coat at the door. There were steaming mugs of hot chocolate sitting on the counter, and a batch of fresh cookies on a plate. Oikawa waved from the kitchen. 

“Hey, Keiji! Bokuto! Welcome in, grab a cocoa while they’re hot. I’m finishing up my second batch, Koushi is getting the lip sync set up. I think you guys are gonna really dig your song!”

Ah, yes. That’s right. They had decided to do a lip sync battle at OiSuga’s behest. They, Akaashi and Bokuto, and Kenma and Kuroo, would be performing and competing partner lip syncs. However, they didn’t know their song, so they couldn’t rehearse. 

Bokuto was hoping for Fergalicious. They had decided to give Kenma and Kuroo  _ Lucky  _ by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillait, as they were the only couple of the group. Oikawa and Suga had chosen their song. 

Akaashi picked up a mug off the counter and padded over to his usual spot on the sofa, motioning for Bokuto to sit next to him under a blanket. Bokuto joined him, his own mug in hand. 

“What do you think we got?” Akaashi asked.

Bokuto shifted so the arm closest to Akaashi was over the back of the couch, the other still holding his drink. “I don’t know, I was hoping to bust out some Fergie.”

“Knowing Tooru it will probably be Britney Spears. He’s kind of insufferable like that.” 

Was Akaashi leaning into him or just getting comfortable? No Bokuto- focus. “As long as it’s not Jessie J, we’ll be fine.”

Akaashi snorted. “We gotta take it back in tiyem,” he imitated.

“To when music made us all unITE.” Bokuto finished his line with reluctance. 

“NO JESSIE J IN THIS HOUSE!” Suga shouted from somewhere in the suite. 

“That answers your question,” Akaashi grinned.

The door opened then, with Kuroo and Kenma in the entrance. Kenma looked like he might attack the first person to speak to him, so Bokuto kept his gaze down. 

“Alright there, Ken?” Akaashi called over. 

Kenma’s head whipped around. “You and your stupid cold blood. I bet you don’t even feel it out there.”

“No, I just brought a good coat. Hello Kuroo.”

“Akaashi,” Kuroo greeted grimly. “Little monster just about ripped my arm off trying to get him out of the house.”

“It’s fucking cold,” Kenma snapped. 

“Hot chocolate is on the counter. Tooru has cookies I think.” Akaashi leaned farther into Bokuto’s side, who shot Kuroo a panicked look.

Kuroo just grinned and got himself a mug. “Smells great, Oikawa.”

“Doesn’t it?” He mused. “Help yourself, more will be out soon.”

Kenma took a cookie, then another. Kuroo watched him expectantly. Kenma set his jaw. “Thanks Oikawa,” he mumbled.

“Good boy,” Kuroo purred.

Kenma took Kuroo’s mug from him to sock him in the stomach. He left Kuroo behind, wheezing, to sit on Akaashi’s other side.

Suga emerged with a mini projector and a speaker. “It’s all set up! Oh, you guys look so cold!”

“Pussies,” Oikawa agreed solemnly. 

Akaashi threw a pen on the coffee table towards Oikawa’s head, only missing by a fraction as it clipped his ear. 

“Damn,” he sighed. 

After a minute of placating Oikawa, he and Suga brought over the plates of cookies to get started. Kuroo and Kenma were up first.

They were given hairbrushes for microphones and made to stand in front of the couch, the projector shooting the lyrics onto the wall they could see. 

“Hey, I know this song!” Kuroo exclaimed. 

“I like this song,” Kenma smiled. “I’m gonna be Jason.”

The lip syncing was disgustingly cute. Kenma made these little motions while he “sang” looking at Kuroo with barely disguised adoration. Kuroo was 100% worse, going as far to spin Kenma around.

When it was over, the remaining four were reluctant to admit how genuinely sweet it was. 

“My teeth are rotting out of my head,” Akaashi said at last. “Nice job.”

Kenma threw his hairbrush at him. Akaashi caught it and passed it to Oikawa. 

“What’s our song?” Suga asked, accepting the brush from Kuroo. 

“You’ll see,” Kenma mumbled. He went to fiddle with the phone, changing the song.

Oikawa cheered as the lyrics came up. “ _ Summer Nights!  _ Oh my gosh, I love Mamma Mia!”

Suga stared at him with thinly veiled disgust. “Try again.”

“I said Grease. Now hush Koushi, you get to be Sandra Dee.”

Their rendition went off without a hitch. Suga was an impressive Sandra Dee, and the remaining four chimed in for the ensemble parts. 

It was hard to imagine that Suga and Oikawa  _ weren’t  _ dating, seeing them like this. They were so domestic, playing off each other and keeping things fun. They started singing halfway through, and none of them were that bad. 

Kuroo clapped after the final drawn out note. “That was so gay. You guys are too fruity.”

“You have a literal boyfriend,” Suga huffed. “At least I’m not in love with Tooru.”

Akaashi looked like he wanted to argue with that statement as he stood up, hands behind his back. Interesting. 

“Alright, Koushi, get this thing fired up,” Oikawa crowed.

The intro to  _ Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy  _ played. The room seemed to freeze for a second as the four previous setters engaged in some silent conflict. 

Akaashi sighed. “I’ll start.”

Queen suited him well. He was intense enough to body it with no problem, pretty enough to make it fit. Bokuto watched him “singing” to the audience, not bothering to use his hairbrush. 

Bokuto joined in for the chorus, and Akaashi whipped around to face him. 

_ Ooh, love, ooh, loverboy What're you doin' tonight, hey, boy? _

Bokuto took the next verse, playing up the charm and flirt of the song. He pulled Akaashi into his arms, shimmying to the  _ hot-seat of love.  _

Akaashi spun back out on the next line, taking the spotlight.  _ I’d like for you and I to go romancing.  _ Bokuto tugged him back-  _ Say the word, your wish is my command.  _

Then Akaashi began to sing. He had a simple, soft voice, not special in its own right. Except that it  _ was  _ special. It was him. Akaashi pranced away from him, hands folded neatly behind his back as he sang.

Bokuto had completely forgotten they were performing for an audience. He pressed a fist over his heart as he pursued Akaashi dramatically, falling to his knees just as the bridge began. 

_ When I'm not with you  _

_ Think of you always (I miss those long hot summer nights) I miss you  _

Akaashi reached his hand down, stroking his thumb across Bokuto’s cheek. He leaned into the touch, looking up at Akaashi from his knees. He would stay here, if Akaashi was inclined to let him.

_ When I'm not with you  _

_ Think of me always  _

_ Love you, love you _

Akaashi helped him to his feet and Bokuto beamed for all the love inside him. They continued their performance, seamlessly alternating lines as they engaged their audience. They had the whole room laughing- even Kenma. 

At last, they finished with a flourish, joining together in the center of the room.

Akaashi pressed a featherlight kiss to his cheek on the last note of the song. 

So, basically, it was pure instinct when Bokuto took his face gently in his hands and kissed him on the lips. 

It was soft, only for a fleeting moment, before Bokuto had realized what he had done. He stepped away quickly, heart pounding. Oh God, he had gone and ruined everything. The entire room was silent, staring between Akaashi and Bokuto.

Akaashi himself was indecipherable. Without warning, he turned on his heel and walked towards the bedroom. Bokuto’s heart dropped as Akaashi called over his shoulder, “Come with me, Bokuto.”

Bokuto reluctantly followed after, not looking behind him as the remaining four began to murmur in concern. He got to Akaashi’s room and closed the door behind him, already preparing his apology speech in his head. 

“Akaashi, I’m so-” he couldn’t finish his sentence before he was pressed against the closed door, Akaashi’s lips on his own. He kissed him desperately, hands secured tight in the fabric of Bokuto’s shirt. 

It only took Bokuto a moment before he was kissing back, hands on Akaashi’s waist to hold him close. It was euphoric, the way they moved together. It was like they had been kissing all their lives, moving in sync and mutual understanding. They were as perfect as ever- more so, it finally felt well and truly right.

Yeah, Bokuto was in love. 

When Akaashi finally pulled away, they were both grinning wide. 

“Akaashi!” Bokuto exclaimed. “I’m in love with you!”

“I’m in love with you!” Akaashi countered, hands shaking slightly. “I thought I was the only one.”

“I thought  _ I  _ was the only one! Ah, Akaashi!”

Akaashi kissed him again, then kissed both of his cheeks through his laughter. Bokuto held him still to press tiny pecks all over his face, only causing Akaashi to laugh harder. He walked Akaashi back from the door, swaying together in the center of the room. 

“Koutarou,” Akaashi whispered.

Bokuto froze. “Woah, wait, again.”

Akaashi laughed, shaking his head. “Koutarou, how long?”

Bokuto shook his head, dumbfounded. Akaashi was required to call him that now. Nothing else. Except maybe Bokuto-senpai. Maybe. “Um, yeah. Uh, a long time. Years.”

“Same. Since Fukurodani,” Akaashi nodded dumbly. “Koutarou.”

“Keiji.”

Akaashi’s eyes lit up at that. “Yeah. Yeah. Can I date you? Can we date?”

“Yeah. Keiji, yes. I mean- I was gonna ask you!”

“FUCKING FINALLY.” The door swung open, revealing all four of their friends in the entryway. Bokuto didn’t bother to release Akaashi. Kenma was the one who had caved and opened the door. 

“What do you mean, finally?” Akaashi demanded. Bokuto was nowhere near letting go.

“You’ve been pining over his sorry ass for too long,” Kenma sniffed.

Oikawa looked at him in surprise. “I mean, he’s right Keiji. It was getting painful to watch.”

Akaashi moved Bokuto to hide him. “You’re all terrible and I hope you die.”

“Not unless you come with us,” Suga chirped. “But first we’re going to watch Die Hard. So get this done with.” With that, he shepherded the rest of the boys back to the living room.

Bokuto kissed him again. “I’m taking you on a date tomorrow.”

“No, I’m taking you,” Akaashi made a solemn face. “I asked you out.”

“Fine, but I’m paying.”

“No you’re not.”

They continued to go back and forth as they left the bedroom, hand in hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos pls hahahah jk unless (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ


End file.
